Ethan Anderson
Staff writer
The University of La Verne announced its new softball head coach, Danielle Kaminaka. The San Diego native has 17 years of collegiate coaching experience, the last 11 spent as an assistant coach at NCAA Division I Sacramento State.
“I’ve always wanted to come back to Southern California,” Kaminaka said. “However, I had a great experience at Sacramento. I wasn’t in a rush to just go anywhere.”
Kaminaka attended Loyola Marymount, where she posted impressive stats: a .326 career batting average, 47 home runs, 43 doubles, and 149 RBI. After graduating in 2005 with a bachelor of arts degree in English, Kaminaka spent two years teaching English in Japan, where she made plenty of friends and memories playing in local leagues.
“Softball has always been a way for me to learn about a person and their culture,” Kaminaka said.
Kaminaka coached one season at Southwestern Community College in San Diego before returning to LMU, where she earned her master’s in English literature and continued her coaching career. Kaminaka then began coaching at Colgate University in Upstate New York.
“It was a very different experience for a California girl,” Kaminaka said.
Kaminaka later moved to Sacramento State, where she stayed for 11 years.
Kaminaka looks forward to sharing her experiences, knowledge and advice with the student athletes of La Verne. She is making an immediate impact within the department.
“People are really loving her energy in the department,” said Anthony Avila, assistant athletic director. “She seems very positive, upbeat, and easy to work with.”
Kaminaka plans to spend the fall focusing on team-building and getting to know the players, especially since new turf installation will keep them off the field for the next month.
As the season approaches, Kaminaka will challenge her players more, ensuring they understand the repercussions when they do not rise to the challenge, creating the sense of urgency and pressure felt during game time.
“When she got hired, she had individual meetings with pretty much all of us returners, and that goes to show how dedicated she is,” senior infielder Erika Garcia said.
“I am excited for the new dynamic and to get to work,” Senior pitcher Kirsten Sanchez said.
“Consistency (is) huge for me,” Kaminaka said of her coaching style. “Showing up, doing things right, and treating everything as a learning opportunity.”
Kaminaka wants to win, but more than that, she emphasizes the importance of good softball. Kaminaka can live with a loss if the opponent simply plays better, more fundamental softball and she wants to create an environment where lifelong skills are developed.
Kaminaka takes academics seriously as well. She’s proud that her previous team at Sacramento State had a 3.27 overall GPA.
“Those kids come from somewhere where that’s not easy, so I’m very proud of them,” she said.
Kaminaka is a softball coach who sees deeper than what is on the diamond. She sees an opportunity to share her love for the game and make deep connections with people.
Kaminaka said she hopes not only to get this program on a winning path, but also to share her core values of respect, consistency, and inclusion as she mentors these young adults through the most important years of their lives.
Ethan Anderson can be reached at ethan.anderson@laverne.edu
Ethan Anderson is a senior communications major with a concentration in public relations. He is the LV Life editor and a staff photographer for the Campus Times, and a staff writer and photographer for La Verne Magazine. He has previously been a staff writer for the Campus Times. As a lifelong student-athlete, he has picked up valuable skills that he seeks to apply in his career in public relations, and ultimately make an impact.
Liberty Belle is a senior photography major and marketing minor. She is also the photography editor of the Campus Times. She has previously served as photography editor of La Verne Magazine and a staff photographer for both publications.
