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Rick Church enters his eleventh season as head coach of the Blinn College softball team. Church has led the program to ten Region XIV Tournament appearances. Church holds the most all time victories at Blinn College with a 416 wins. His overall college coaching record stands at 490-223 (.687). The Bucs captured conference and regional championships in 2003, 2006 and 2009. A third trip to the NJCAA National Tournament in 2009 resulted in a fourth place finish and a 56-11 record, which was a program high for victories in a season. The Bucs finished the 2003 season as NJCAA national runners-up with a 53-11 record. In 2006, the team finished with a 40-22 record and won the South Zone Conference and the Region XIV Championship earning a trip to the NJCAA National Championship. Church's teams finished as regional runners-up in 2000, 2001, and 2005.
In 2009, Church was honored as Region XIV Coach of the Year and with the award for NFCA Midwest Coaching Staff of the Year. In 2008, the Easton Victory Club honored Church for his 400th victory. Church was awarded the Midwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year honors in 2004, while 2003 season honors included Region XIV Coach of the Year, Midwest Coaching Staff of the Year, and Speedline/NFCA Coaching Staff of the Year.
Before arriving at Blinn College, Church served as co-founder, owner, and head instructor for the Can-Am Baseball/Softball Academy in Langley, British Columbia, from 1992 to 1997. While in Canada, he also coached the White Rock Renegades women's fast pitch team, which won back-to-back Canadian championships in 1993 and 1994. His overall record with the Renegades was 179-46 (.790). He had the privilege of training eight current or former Canadian National Team players. He joined the Can-Am Academy Houston operation as a consultant 1997-1999.
Church served as the head softball coach and professor of physical education at Arizona Western College 1990-1992. His record at AWC was 74-34. AWC finished Region I runners-up in 1991 and third in 1992. Church served as an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska 1986-1989 when the Huskers made College World Series appearances in 1987 and 1988 finishing third and fifth respectively.
Church has earned doctoral hours from Texas A&M University, a master's degree
in kinesiology from Sam Houston State University (1984), and his bachelor's degree from Kearney State College (1982) where he played college baseball as an infielder.
During his coaching tenure, he has traveled with teams to Taiwan, Australia and
Holland. In the summer of 2001 his team finished third in an international tournament
in Holland. He has also been a speaker, presenter, or clinician at more than 200 camps and clinics. In 2006, Church was selected to join the Canadian National Team coaching pool.
In the summer of 2006, he was a coach for the Elite team and was elevated to the Senior team staff in December 2006. In the summer of 2007, the Canadian National Team earned a silver medal at the Pan-American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Church currently serves as a NJCAA Division I representative and was also elected to serve on the NFCA Rules and Officials committee. Church also chairs the Division of Health and Kinesiology at Blinn College's Brenham campus.
Church receives support and encouragement from his family. His wife Rocio is a kindergarten teacher in the public school system. They have two children: Jordi (1992) and Demi (1994).
Jami Ingram is in her fifth year as the assistant coach for Blinn College Softball. Coach Ingram was born and raised in Richmond, British Columbia. She and head coach Rick Church received NFCA Midwest Coaching Staff of the Year honors following the 2009 season when the Bucs finished fourth at the national tournament. Ingram began her softball career playing for Church at Blinn College during the 2000 and 2001 seasons. She earned All-Region XIV honors as a freshman and sophomore. She was also a member of the academic honor roll all four semesters and was tabbed a President's Scholar in Spring 2000.
Ingram continued her softball career at Texas Woman's University where she started both seasons for the Pioneers and earned numerous accolades. During her junior year, she was awarded Second Team All-Conference, First Team All-Region, and Third Team all-American as a designated hitter. She was also an Academic All-American for the 2002 season. During her senior year, she was awarded First Team All-Conference, First Team All-Region, and First Team All-American as a catcher. She was also named the 2003 NFCA Diamond Sports Catcher of the Year in Division II Softball. Coach Ingram set and still holds the home-run record for a season (14) and a career (18) at TWU.
She spent two years as a graduate assistant coach at Texas Woman's University while completing her master's degree. She was also a volunteer assistant coach during the 2004 season while completing her bachelor's degree.
Ingram holds an associate degree in kinesiology from Blinn (2001), a bachelor's degree in kinesiology with teaching certification from Texas Woman's University (2003), and a master's degree in kinesiology and sports administration from TWU (2005).
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