Rose Lehner is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Pinnacle for AZPreps365.com

“Passionate, meticulous, and hard working.” That’s how assistant softball coach Rachel Taggatz described Pinnacle head coach Bobby Pena. 

Pena does it all.

At 9 a.m. he arrives at the Pinnacle softball field dragging and filling the infield with pristine dirt for his players to practice on. After he’s finished perfecting the field, he runs his independent company 9 Stars Sports USA Softball of Arizona, where he is the Arizona’s commissioner. At 9 Stars he coaches girls fast pitch softball and provides competitive training and tournaments for players to showcase their skills. He returns to Pinnacle and runs another two to three hour practice for the softball team and then stays after his practice to help his players improve their hitting and pitching skills.

“Hardworking is an understatement because he goes above and beyond hard working. He wouldn't do any of the things he does if he wasn't. You see it in everything that he does from the way that he coaches his players to even maintaining our softball field, “said Taggatz.

Pena coached at Xavier Prep for 10 years prior to moving to Pinnacle. He coached Xavier Prep to the state championship game almost every year with impeccable season records. But the commute took too much time away from softball. 

He became the head coach at Pinnacle in 2016 and his success followed him there. Pinnacle has been 6A state runnerups in 2016, 2017,2019, and 2018 6A state champions. 

“One of the reasons why I think we’re one of top in offensive categories is because of the detail that we focus on with the athleticism that we have,” said Pena. “Our practices are different every day. We try to change it up a little bit and bring them something new. If you get into a routine that you do every day, it becomes boring. I like to challenge them in a different way every day.”

His dedication and passion for his softball team fuels his success after 30 years of coaching. 

“He knows this game better than any coach out there and part of that is because of what he does on the side. He knows the rule book better than anyone I have ever met. Not only does he understand how the game should be played and teaching players how to play the game, but he knows the rules so incredibly well,” said Taggatz.
His players applaud his talent.
“He has so much knowledge and an inside look like on the game that he can breakdown the game so far ahead of what anybody else is even thinking. He's very strategic with everything that he does,” said senior Jessica Geng.

Added senior Bella Williams: “He's just so experienced with the sport in all the technicalities. He knows every detail and knows how everything should be functioning in order for us to be successful. That's one of the main reasons why he’s a great coach because he's very focused on the game.” 

Pena not surprisingly deflects credit.

 “We have these girls that are serious go getters. All of them want to stay after and get some extra reps in. With the combination of all that we do, it allows us to have success and we look forward to that,” said Pena.

“I'm a big fan of the sport and I see it as entertainment. It's highly competitive. The girls bring everything they've got during every game. It’s like a fine-tuned orchestra and I see the girls play with the music that nobody else can hear.” 

His success doesn’t compare to the compassion he has for his players. To him it’s about showing up every day for them.

“I care about each one of these young ladies whether they move on to play college softball or not. They're very structured. What they learn here and the life lessons I teach them they can be applied during high school, college, and anything after,” said Pena. 

Pena’s coaching is a mix of both diligence and connection with his team.

“He has a balance between the demand for intensity and that demand for reaching the standard that we've set for the team. He’s building relationships, building the trust with his players, and keeping things light every once in a while,” said Taggatz. 

After three seasons of coaching with Pena, Taggatz has seen how Pena’s compassion has influenced the team to become closer. 

“The relationships are stronger on this team amongst everybody than they have been in the last couple years. As we go deeper into the season rather than players playing for themselves and being individuals, they’re more of a team than they ever have been in the past and that is attributed to Bobby,” said Taggatz.

“His players have an opportunity nowadays to see who he is not just as a softball coach but who he is as a person.  The way he connects with his players leaves a much longer lasting impression then if he were focused only on the sport. At the end of the day, you remember a coach so much more for how he connected with you than coaching you and he's gotten so good at that.” 

Pena will do anything for his players to succeed in and outside of softball. His compassion plays a vital role in his players lives.  

“He cares so much about his players no matter who he has on his team or who he has to work with. He will always make you feel better because he cares about everybody individually and he really cares about each player,” said Geng.

Added Williams: “He’ll always be a resource for us. If we ever come across a problem or a challenge, he’s more than happy to help us out which is a big thing for me.”

For Pena it’s not all about winning, it’s about the impact he leaves on his players at Pinnacle.

“I don’t care about the wins and losses. I’d like to be remembered for helping others.”