Ellen Mackor

Ellen grew up in the small town of Fort Edward in Upstate New York and started playing softball at five years old. She fell in love with the game right away: the rush of adrenaline in the pitcher's circle and the lifelong friendships she made along the way. The middle of three children, she credits her parents for keeping her humble while giving her the chance to compete at a high level. Ellen went on to play college softball, which shaped who she is and is where she met her husband, Jacob, in 2009. They married in September 2022, and that November the family moved to Florida, happily landing right here on the Space Coast.

Today Ellen is grateful to teach the game that has given her so much, both to her daughter and to the next generation of athletes. Travel softball is fast and competitive, so her coaching centers on building a culture of psychological safety, alignment, and shared accountability. She doesn't expect perfection, but she does expect 100% effort. At this age, mistakes are a natural part of learning, so she works to take away the fear of making them. Her players learn a "next play" mindset: learn from it, process it quickly, and lift each other up. She praises the preparation, defines clear roles, and holds the team accountable together.

Her goal isn't just to develop great ballplayers. It's to build a team where every player feels valued, gains unwavering confidence, learns the power of working together, and walks off the field proud of the effort they put in. As Ellen puts it, "When we praise the preparation and trust the process, the wins on and off the field take care of themselves."