Head Coach

Bio

Coach Chelsea Qualls has had a notable coaching career, marked by her commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the field. In her second season at Chemeketa Community College, she has already made a significant impact by leading the team to the NWAC Championship Softball Tournament in her first year. Her leadership resulted in two athletes receiving 1st Team awards and two more earning 2nd Team awards, highlighting her ability to cultivate talent and achieve competitive success.

Before joining Chemeketa, Qualls contributed significantly as an assistant coach at the University of South Dakota from 2021 to 2023. Her focus on the pitching staff led to a remarkable improvement in the team's ERA, which dropped from nearly 6.00 in 2021 to 3.39 in 2023. Under her guidance, team strikeouts nearly doubled, and opponents' batting averages decreased significantly. Her efforts were instrumental in the team's appearances in the Summit Conference playoffs in both 2022 and 2023. During her time at USD, she coached the 2023 Summit Conference Player of the Year and had multiple players earn 1st and 2nd team honors, as well as honorable mentions.

Earlier in her career, Qualls served as the Head Coach at Sprague High School from 2019 to 2021. During her tenure, she successfully guided 15 players to receive all CVC awards, showcasing her skill in nurturing young talent and preparing them for higher levels of competition.  Qualls also coached at NCAA DIII Willamette University from 2015 to 2019, where she began honing her coaching skills and philosophy.

As a player, Qualls was a standout pitcher at George Fox University, earning 1st team awards in both seasons and tying for the most strikeouts in a season with 161. She also played for Chemeketa Community College, where her journey as a student-athlete began.

Coach Qualls is passionate about guiding young female athletes, emphasizing hard work, connection, and selflessness. She is dedicated to helping her athletes grow as individuals, instilling confidence, character, and a drive for self-improvement. Her goal is to ensure that her players not only succeed on the field but also become positive influences in their communities and beyond.