The white soles of Bobby Peña’s shoes are caked with the maroon dirt of the infield. He is Pinnacle’s feet-first coach.

Peña is everywhere, leading bunting drills or off to the side instructing players on technique and proper form.

“He likes everything to be done in a certain way,” senior outfielder Sydney Smith said.

After an assistant coach’s wild pitch nearly hits Peña in the head during practice, he jokingly replies with, “The key to a good batting practice is throwing strikes.”

The coach is just as quick to give a critique as he is a compliment.

Even when the bases are put away, Peña’s mind does not stop.

“When I leave practice is probably my highest point of what I see visually… that creates a plan for me for the next day and how I’m going to help the girls get better.”

The players have gotten better since his arrival.

Pinnacle only dreamed of a softball team going to the finals in its first 15 seasons but since Peña was hired in 2016 the Pioneers have reached the finals every season since.

Pinnacle was not Peña’s first Phoenix coaching job though.

After Peña played in the Men Senior Baseball League and won championships in four out of six years, he coached Xavier College Prep’s softball team.

He was with Xavier for 10 years but left to pursue something different.

He landed a softball coaching job at Glendale Community College.

His stay there was not lengthy.

“I lasted two and a half weeks and I got fired,” said Peña.

The main issue was the large roster size of 26 players.

“I immediately cut four girls, and I planned to cut two more.”

That decision did not sit well with the team and Peña was let go.

“I was pretty disturbed by the whole thing and thought that I’m just not going to coach anymore.”

As that door closed another one quickly opened. The father of future MaxPreps All-American Marissa Schuld called Peña to apply to coach at Pinnacle.

The strange part was that the two had “talked hardly at all,” according to Peña.

The call got Peña to Pinnacle where the Pioneers are trying to make a fourth consecutive championship appearance and second straight state title.

“A coach is a big reflection of the players,” said senior pitcher Tamia Yellowman.

Pinnacle is happy he answered the call.