LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The NFCA is pleased to announce Reina Herrera as the 2024 recipient of the Association’s Diversity Scholarship presented in partnership with the ELLA Sports Foundation. Herrera will receive funding to attend the 2024 NFCA National Convention at the Hyatt Regency in Dallas, Texas.
Reviewed and voted on by the NFCA Awards Committee, the Diversity Scholarship is awarded to a minority member coach who shows a commitment to working with minorities, growing the game of fastpitch in their community and has a need for financial assistance to attend the Convention.
Herrera, an assistant coach at San Antonio Memorial High School (Texas), will receive a complimentary Convention registration, $700 in travel reimbursement and up to four nights at the Convention’s host hotel.
Herrera is in her second year at Memorial, a Title 1 school
(extra funding for schools with large populations of low-income students), where she serves as a physical education teacher, along with being an assistant coach for the softball, girl’s basketball and powerlifting teams. In her brief time at Memorial, Herrera is already looking for ways to create free softball camps for elementary and middle school students to teach them a sport they are not often exposed to.
“My reason for coming to Memorial is to grow the game of softball in a community that is much like the one I grew up in,” said Herrera. “Many of the athletes I work with are minorities and most have never played softball before which is the biggest reason why I have begun to prepare to host free summer camps for youths in the community.”
Herrera came to Memorial hoping to inspire change.
“I am a Hispanic female who had the opportunity to play collegiate softball and came in wanting to inspire athletes to learn more about the game,” said Herrera.
Along the way to her current position, Herrera gained coaching experience with the San Antonio Rattler 12u & 14u, Texas Boom 16u travel ball programs. She is a graduate of St. Mary’s University, where she played collegiately for NFCA Hall of Famer Donna Fields and continued her education at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, serving as the graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach.
With the opportunity to attend the 2024 Convention, Herrera cites that she has a high interest in trying to earn more and connect with coaches from all levels that can help her grow.
“Being able to attend this Convention would be an investment to myself and the growth I want to see,” Herrera said. “Learning and connecting with coaches is what I am striving for so I can come back to campus as a better coach and person for my team.”
Herrera will be recognized on Thursday, Dec. 5 during the Convention’s annual mentoring workshop.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its extensive awards and scholarships program, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from NFCA podcasts to a comprehensive drills database, to in-person events and a National Convention.
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