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(G) SOFTBALL

Varsity 2022 2021-2022
2021-2022 x Varsity 2022 JV 2022

Introducing Head Coach Mel Roth

We are pleased to announce the official hiring of Melissa Roth as our new Head Softball Coach. Coach Roth comes to Capo with an impressive background and experience as a player and coach. She is committed to providing our softball players with a great experience while helping them to develop and compete at the highest levels. She is not only an elite coach but also an exceptional leader who fits all of the criteria and characteristics that our softball community identified and prioritized at our town hall meeting to begin this coaching search process. Some highlights of Coach Roth's experience include:

Coaching experience: Long Beach Poly HS, Edison HS, Firecrackers

Catcher at University of Louisville (2007-2010)

  • Inducted into the University Louisville Athletics Hall of Fame (2021)
  • 2X All-American (09,10)
  • 2009 Big East Player of the Year
  • 3X All-Big East (08,09,10)
  • 2X All-Great Lakes Region (09,10)
  • 2009 USA Pan Am Qualifier Gold Medal Winner 

After College:

  • First-round draft pick for USSSA Pride and 3rd draft pick overall
  • 2010-2011 USSSA Pride
  • 2012 PGF 12U Champions and 4th place ASA Nationals (Assistant Coach)

International Play:

  • 2013 Unione Fermana (Montegranaro, Italy)
  • 2014 Collecchio (Parma, Italy)
  • 2nd Place in European Winner’s Cup with Czech Republic Jords 
  • 2014-2015 Otahuhu (Auckland, New Zealand)
  • 2015 Mosquitos (Vienna, Austria)

Senior Spotlight: Dublin Synnott

Dublin will be headed to Saddleback College this fall and will be studying kinesiology and playing soccer as a Saddleback Bobcat!

Senior Spotlight: Natalie Mugnai

Natalie will be attending Ohio State University in the fall and plans to major in communications. She will also be graduating this spring with a seal of biliteracy in Spanish!

Senior Spotlight: Kayla Beckley

Kayla will be attending Arizona State University in the fall and plans to major in Business Management/Real Estate!

Art Cole, Varsity Head Coach

We are thrilled to have Coach Art Cole return for another season as head coach of Capo Valley Cougar Softball. Under his leadership in, the program finished as Sea View League Champions and moved on to compete in the CIF-SS quarterfinals in the post-season. Coach Art aims to build upon that success this season with the program now leaping into Division III.

Art is no stranger to the CVHS and surrounding softball communities, and our families have every reason to be excited for the future of Capo Softball. With over ten years of coaching experience with travel organizations that include the Firecrackers and American Athletics, Art brings a wide range of experience and knowledge to our competitive softball program. As the former assistant head coach of Capo Softball for two years (2017–2018) and proud father to two Capo alum, his heart and passion for this program is unmatched.

All who know Art can attest he is a dedicated coach who has a proven knowledge of game fundamentals and strategy honed across his involvement with softball at the youth recreational levels all the way to competitive high school softball and travel ball. He has an undeniable love for the game and is looking forward to giving back to a community he loves.

Jason Jankanish, Varsity Assistant Coach

We are very fortunate to welcome back Coach Jason Jankanish to our coaching staff as the assistant varsity coach for Capo Valley Softball. He brings over 21 years of fastpitch coaching experience to our program having coached with several travel organizations including the SoCal Athletics, Batbusters, and Firecrackers, including a premier 14U under the oversight of Sean Brashear. He has wasted no time getting to know and train our players and will without a doubt prepare our Lady Cougars for another CIF run. Anyone who knows Coach Jason can attest to his undeniable passion for the game and commitment to coaching and mentoring players and teams of all skills and ages. He is most looking forward to helping our varsity team reach their goals, both collectively and individually. When he is not coaching our varsity players, he will still likely be holding a softball and bat in his private fielding and catching lessons while also supporting local organizations with their softball equipment needs. Interesting fun fact: Coach Jason has a background in finance and a degree in fine arts. We’re certainly grateful he’s made coaching softball an ambition because it’s evident he finds great satisfaction in engaging with the speed of the game, teaching techniques, and getting a front row seat to seeing players experience those “a-ha” moments.

Ray Kwa, Varsity Assistant Coach

We are grateful to have Dr. Ray Kwa return for his second season as an assistant varsity coach. Not only does Coach Ray bring with him over 14 years of baseball and softball coaching experience, we are blessed to have a medical doctor on hand during practices and games. Having come a family of medical professionals — he’s one of five physicians in his family — his medical background has proven invaluable as we navigated the challenges of training and competing safely during a global pandemic. Coach Ray is honored to take on another season of coaching and is committed to help keep players and coaches safe and healthy while having fun. Moreover, he’s thrilled to work with the coaching staff to teach and inspire players through the sport softball and help translate the experiences into important life lessons. If softball were not a part of his life, Coach Ray might still be found performing with rock bands as a drummer in his spare time!

Robert Aguilar, JV Head Coach

Capo Valley Softball is thrilled to welcome Coach Robert Aguilar as the JV Head Coach. While he may be new to the Cougar family, he is no stranger to coaching. Twenty years ago he never imagined he’d be coaching anything other than football as a high school coach for Villa Park HS. But a wife and three kids later, he’s transferred his passion and skills for coaching to the sport of softball. Coach Robert is a devoted coach and currently serves as the vice president of Capo Girls Softball (San Juan Capistrano). He’s had a proven history of success with developing up and coming players in the league since 2014, most recently taking 12U Gold All Star team to Nationals with an impressive 44-0 record through districts. When he’s not on the field coaching, he manages a crew as a party chief as a land surveyor for Coast Surveying. His goal is to make the season a great experience for our players and help them improve every week by emphasizing the fundamentals and pushing them to compete at their best. He believes girls compete much harder than boys, and he expects no less from our Lady Cougars this spring.

Rahanna Tobey, JV Assistant Coach

The Lady Cougars are excited welcome to Coach Rahanna Tobey to our JV coaching staff. A fellow native of Mission Viejo, Coach Rahanna grew up playing for Mission Viejo Girls Softball, Mission Viejo High School (’18) and several travel organizations including the So Cal Cougars and American Athletics. When she’s not on the field with our JV players, you can find her serving donuts & coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts as she pursues her degree in psychology at Saddleback College. She is a proud adult Disney aficionado and loves to spend time at the parks with friends. A world traveler, she’s lived in Mexico, Israel, and Egypt, so it’s no wonder she can speak Arabic, Spanish, and Hebrew. With ten years of experience of both playing & coaching softball at various levels, she looks forward to supporting and coaching the JV team to compete in the sport she still finds exhilarating!