Welcome to MVSA Softball
MVSA Storm Coaches
The MVSA Storm program is lucky to have a tremendous amount of coaching experience. At every level in the Storm program, the coaches bring a level of experience that provides the teams with outstanding instruction and development. Coaches have played and coached at all levels, including college. Information on our 18U, 16U, and both 14U coaching staffs can be found below.
David Jacobs, Manager/Head Coach - jacobsdr@comcast.net
David Jacobs just completed his 14th season as a head coach in the STORM organization. David's teams have compiled a record of 396 - 206 - 17 (304 of those wins at the 18U "A" level). Through the years David's program; with the help of his coaches, has evolved to become one of the dominant girls fast pitch teams in the area and one of the best in the region. Eight of those teams had 30 or more wins including the 2011 team with 39. David's 18U teams have qualified and played in the PONY National tournament 11 times including a 9th place finish in 2004 and 17th place finishes in 2008 and 2009, his 2011 team finished 13th. David's teams have earned over 40 National Qualifying bids. Over 40 of David's players have gone on to play college softball, several on scholarship at the Division I ans II levels.
Under Jacob's the STORM 18U teams have drawn players from across Montgomery County schools. David's players have consistently been named ALL GAZETTE and/or ALL MET. The coaching staff with David for the STORM 18u - Jacobs has been second to none consisting of men and women fastpitch players and high school coaches, which include Jim Kibbe who as coaches with David for the past 6 years. David and Jim have run the MVSA Advanced pitching and catching clinic for several years producing the very best pitching in Montgomery County.
David Jacobs will be inducted into the Washington Metro Softball Hall of Fame this fall, one of only two coaches to be so honored. David played college baseball and football as well as semi-pro baseball after college eventually moving to men's fastpitch softball in 1982 where he played at the "A" and "B" levels for several years. David has Regional and National Tournament experience as a player and as a coach.
David is married and has two daughters; Rachel (25) and Rebecca (23), both were pitchers in the STORM program. Rachel currently holds the record for most career wins at 89. Rebecca went on the pitch and catch on scholarship at Division II Shepherd University. Rebecca has returned to help coach the STORM 18U team.
To contact David please email him at jacobsdr@comcast.net
Jim Kibbe, who was inducted into the Greater Washington Fastpitch Softball Hall of Fame in 2006, has been involved in fastpitch softball for over 30 years. Jim started playing fastpitch softball in 1976 when he founded the Ashton “A’s” softball team to play in the Wheaton Church Men’s Fastpitch Softball League. Jim brought his skills from 10 years of competitive baseball to third base, where he learned the game of fastpitch softball. He has competed at the ASA Regional and National level, winning two ASA Regional titles in 1994 and 1995. In addition, Jim has coached girls at the high school, recreational, and select levels. After retiring from competitive travel softball in 1996, he moved on to coach in the Damascus Hurricanes Select Girls Fastpitch organization for five years before joining long time friend and former teammate Dave Jacobs at the 18U Montgomery Village Storm as an assistant in 2004, where he remains today. Jim also helps Dave Jacobs at a highly successful pitching clinic that Dave founded and has run for many years.
Teams Jim has coached at the select level have achieved:
- 6 Girls PONY National Appearances
- 2 Girls NSA National Appearances
- 1 2nd Place USSSA State Championship 2005
- 3rd Place NSA State 2002
- 4 ASA A Regional Qualifications
- Numerous Tournament Championships
Jim coached at Holy Cross High School for four years as an assistant and head coach., he was also an assistant varsity coach at Gaithersburg High School for four years.
Jim currently works with the 18U Storm pitchers and has coached fourteen All County, All Region, All WCAC Conference and All Metropolitan pitchers, including the 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009 All-Gazette Players of the Year. His pitchers have taken their schools to State Semi-Finals, one State Final, and have won numerous High School Regional titles. Many have advanced to pitch at the college level, where some have won All-Conference Honors.
Jim is married to his wife, Ranta, for 26 years with two daughters, Amanda (20) and Lexi (18). Amanda was a standout at both the select and high school levels. Amanda played in the Storm program for four years at the 18U level. Amanda received All-County Gazette and Examiner honors all four years and All-Met honors her last two years of high school and she was recruited to play softball in college at Millersville University. Amanda has since returned to help coach the Storm with Dave Jacobs and former teammate Becca Jacobs, also an All-County honored player, and the rest of the STORM 18U coaching staff.
Storm 16U - Team Burge
Rick Burge, Manager/Head Coach - burge728@aol.com
Coach
Burge has been an MVSA Storm coach for the past two years. Rick is also
the Junior Varsity Coach for the Northwest High School Jaguars, moving
up from assistant coach for the past three years. Before joining the
Storm, Rick coached softball for the Germantown Athletic Club for four
years, where his GAC Wildkatz were the 2009 13U Division Champions. He
also coached one year with the Germantown Titans. Rick is also assisting
with running and coaching the MVSA Rec Level program. With Coach
Burge's many years of experience and his genuine love for coaching, the
2012 16U travel season promises to be an exciting one.
John Vergelli, Head Coach - john_vergelli@yahoo.com
John Vergelli is beginning his second year as a Storm head coach. In 2010-11, he was head coach of the 14U team, which reached the semi-finals of Mid-Atlantic Rec Open, and had a winning record in league play. This year John is moving to head coach of Storm 16U Vergelli. John’s coaching philosophy is "Put the players first. Be positive and challenging at the same time. Teach them to compete fiercely and honorably, to be good teammates, and to win the right way." John has been around softball and baseball his whole life, as a player, parent, certified umpire, assistant coach, and head coach, from T-ball to travel ball. John and wife, Jan, live in Montgomery Village, their son plays college baseball, and their daughters play STORM softball and have played travel volleyball.
Storm 14U - Team Carney
Ralph Lennon, Assistant Coach - CoachLennon@mvsasoftball.com
Ralph just completed his first season as an assistant coach for the Storm 14u
team, and has been coaching and assisting coaching with MVSA for the
past six years; starting with T-Ball and working his way up through
coach-pitch, rec level to Storm Travel. Ralph’s commitment is
exemplified by his work with the rec program this past year and
continues as he moves into the role of MVSA softball commissioner this
fall. Ralph is also a committed athlete, competing in many race formats
from cycling, triathlons, and running races (up to ultra-distance trail
runs) and will bring this enthusiasm for competition to the softball
field. Ralph has three daughters and figures he will be involved in MVSA
Softball for the foreseeable future.
