Founder, CEO, and Softball Coach

Doug Jones has 371 Career wins as head softball coach for Leake Academy from 2009-2021, where he also earned a national record 85-game winning streak. He led his team to win 4 state championships, 5 state runner-ups, and 13 District championships. He coached dozens of Division 1, 2, 3, and junior college athletes in softball and baseball. Doug graduated from Philadelphia High School where he played shortstop and quarterback. He then continued his baseball playing career at East Central CC where he earned all-state accolades. He is available to give softball and baseball hitting, fielding, & pitching lessons.

General Manager, Soccer, and Baseball Coach

Brooks attended Ridgeland High School where he was a three-sport athlete before continuing his baseball career at Copiah-Lincoln Community College and then Mississippi College. During his baseball career at Ridgeland, he was three-time All-District and earned 1st team All-State his senior season where he helped lead the Titans to a north half finish. In soccer, Brooks was a 5-time district champion, 4-year captain, and helped lead the Titans to a north half finish. In football, he earned All-Region twice, All-State, and was named Region special teams’ Player of the Year twice. As a senior, he earned the Wendy’s Heisman award and was named Male Athlete of the Year award at Ridgeland.

Brooks continued his athletic career playing baseball at CLCC where he hit .343 and was voted team captain. He then moved to Mississippi College where he played two seasons followed by coaching there as a graduate assistant in 2022. He was a 2-time academic All-American in college. Brooks is married to fellow coach Annika Jones Italiano. Brooks is available to give baseball hitting and fielding lessons as well as soccer training.

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Softball Coach

Annika prepped at Leake Academy where she was a two-sport athlete. In softball she was a 2-time team MVP, 4-time All MAIS, 4-time All District, 4-time All-Tournament team, and many other team accolades such as Defensive and Offensive Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year award. Annika ended her career at Leake Academy with a career batting average of .422. In basketball, Annika was awarded several All-MAIS, All-Tournament, and All-District awards as well. Annika won 4 state championships between softball and basketball at Leake Academy and had 4 runner-ups. She continued her athletic career playing softball at East Central Community College. In 50 career games at EC, she had a .323 batting average with 25 RBIs, 25 runs scored, 13 stolen bases and 2 HRs. She was voted 2nd team all MACJC and also earned the Scholar-Athlete award. Annika is also married to fellow coach Brooks Italiano. Annika is available to give softball hitting, fielding, and pitching lessons.

Strength and Conditioning Coach

Joshua played high school football and baseball at Leake Academy. As a football player, Joshua had 46 career touchdowns and was selected to the All-district team after leading his team to a final 4 finish. He also played in the MAIS All-Star baseball game in 2016 and was selected All-district that same season. Joshua was voted captain in both sports by his peers. Joshua has been a personal trainer since 2019 for athletes at the college and high school level in multiple sports including basketball, football, and baseball where he designed workouts and trained the athletes specifically for their sport. He is also married to fellow coach Emmi Harkins Jones.

Softball Coach

Emmi Jones prepped at Leake Academy where she was 3-time all MAIS in softball with a career .350 BA & 3 HR’s. Her accolades don’t stop there with her being all MAIS in basketball, a 2-time Co-MVP of the district, a 3-time North Half All-Tournament team, the all-state team, and MAIS Player of the Year as a senior. She continued her softball career at East Central Community College where she played 98 career games, had 18 career HRs, and hit .357 as a sophomore. She was voted 1st team all MACCC as a Sophomore. She is available to give softball catching and hitting lessons. She is also married to fellow coach Joshua Jones.

Soccer Coach

Will is currently the boys’ head soccer coach and girls’ assistant coach at Neshoba Central High School. Will played at Newton County high school and East Central Community College. He earned numerous accolades at Newton County including 2 Golden Boot awards for most goals, was voted 2015 District and region MVP, scored 62 goals in 3 seasons, and was voted team captain by his peers.

At EC, he had 5 goals in 2 seasons where he assisted the team in making 2 playoff appearances. His awards don’t stop there with him being a two-sport athlete in high school AND college! In High school, he was tennis individual state champion, and the team MVP to go along with several other awards. At East Central he was a part of the number one doubles team, he was number 2 singles team, and he was a state finalist and won several team awards. Will Stewart is married to Marlee Parkes Stewart and is the son of former East central President Dr. Billy Stewart and Stephanie Stewart. Will Stewart is available to give soccer lessons.

Softball Coach

Grace attended Leake Academy where she was a two-sport athlete. In softball, she led the Rebels in batting average, hits, runs scored, and stolen bases over her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons en route to earning multiple xAll-District, All-MAIS honors, and the MAIS All-Star game. Grace ended her career at Leake Academy with a career batting average of .519, 74 stolen bases on 77 attempts, 4 consecutive district championships, and MAIS AA State Tournament Runner-Up finishes. In basketball, Grace helped lead the rebels to 3 consecutive districts, MAIS North Half, and MAIS State Championships. Grace continued her athletic career playing softball at Mississippi State University. Grace had a career batting average at MSU of .343 and a .543 SLG% in 70 games played. Grace finished her athletic career at Samford University playing in the first 17 games before COVID ended the season. She is now getting her master’s in nursing as a family practitioner. Grace is available to give hitting and fielding lessons, with a specialty in slapping lessons.

Softball Coach

MaKenzie prepped at Neshoba Central where she won 6 state championships in fast pitch and 6 in slow pitch. She continued her playing career at East Central Community College where she had a .374 career batting average with 4 home runs. She was selected 2nd team all MACCC while at EC. MaKenzie is available to give softball hitting and fielding lessons.

Pitching Coach

Austin played at Neshoba Central High School where he was First-team All-State and named to the Mississippi Association of Coaches All-Star Game his senior year in 2014. He continued his athletic playing career at Meridian Community College in 2015 and 2016 where he was named MACJC Second Team All-State as a freshman and led the team in innings pitched as a sophomore.

Austin continued his career at Louisiana Tech where he had several big-time moments including a 5-inning outing against Arkansas only giving up one run and a relief outing versus Mississippi State where he didn't surrender a hit, run, or walk.

Throughout his collegiate career, he tossed 147 innings, finished with a career ERA of 2.68 and an average of 7.51 strikeouts per nine innings.

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