I began working with central Texas athletes back in 1997…Since then, I have been fortunate enough to train hundreds of athletes in the art of hitting, defense, and other aspects of the game. Former students include Division I standouts, all-Americans, Team USA Members, and professional fastpitch players. I transitioned into coaching full-time in 2008 after starting the current Texas Blaze program in 2003. My sports experiences and my degree in Kinesiology from the University of Texas at Austin have allowed me to wake up every day excited to work. I wear many hats and enjoy each of them for the unique things they bring to my life.

 

Texas Blaze: I serve as the president and director of softball operations, recruiting, team, and player development. Each day is a new journey, and much of my time is spent providing vision and leadership to the many great people who work behind the scenes to make the Blaze what it is today!

 

JBS Sports Productions: This is my creative outlet business as a teacher and artist. As a teacher of the game, I enjoy running clinics and training sessions for both athletes and coaches. In 2023 my primary focus is high-level defense. As a creator, I enjoy sports photography, videography, and music production. Telling stories with pictures and sound is something I have been doing for most of my adult life, and it fuels me both creatively and spiritually. 

 

 

Family: I am blessed to be married to Tatyana Slimp for more than 25 years --- we have three amazing kids together; Brittani, Rylee, and Jaxon. 

 

Tatyana and I started dating when we were teenagers and have been celebrating life together for nearly 40 years! She is wonderful, beautiful, and intelligent!. She works for Janssen Pharmaceuticals as a quality control specialist. Tati received bachelor's and master's degrees from Texas State University.

 

Brittani was our first, and she lives with her beloved dog Zuri in Seattle, working as a software engineer. She has a bachelor's and graduate degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.

 

Rylee is our middle child and current senior at Liberty Hill High School, a varsity letterman in both softball and track. She is an avid softball player who committed to playing at UCLA when she graduates in 2024. You can see Rylee on weekends with her Texas Blaze 18 United travel team. 

 

Jaxon, our youngest, is a Freshman at Liberty High School. Jaxon loves basketball and baseball and plays high-level travel ball for the Canes Baseball program. He also enjoys gaming and continuously cracking jokes, keeping the whole family laughing!