Episode 56: Don Stopa

From the Coach's Mouth · Apr 16, 2026 · 1h 7m · transcript

Red River High School and former University of North Dakota pitching coach Don Stopa joins Jay and Ken to talk about his career as a head and assistant coach at the D1, D2, NAIA and Juco levels. He shares what he looks for when recruiting players (beyond the numbers), typical mistakes players and parents make in the recruiting process, common mechanical flaws in pitching mechanics, why he prefers pitchers that can throw north-south, and his thoughts on the transfer portal. He also talks about his D J Stopa Consulting and Training business and how it helps players and parents prepare to play…