Q&A with RCTC鈥檚 head softball coach Jaimi Stejskal
ROCHESTER, Minn. —聽A Q&A with the head softball coach at Rochester Community and Technical College, Jaimi Stejskal.
Tell us about your background in softball.
Jaimi Stejskal: I grew up playing all different types of sports and softball was, by far, my favorite; it has always been a huge part of my life. I spent most weekdays and almost every weekend each summer playing softball from ages 12 to 40. I played college softball at Macalester College in St. Paul, a D3 school in the MIAC conference. After graduating, I became the head assistant coach at Macalester for one year, then moved to La Crosse, WI to become the head softball coach at Viterbo University. I coached at Viterbo for four seasons before deciding to take my career in a different direction. I moved back to the Rochester area in 2006 and became involved with RYFSA (Rochester Youth Fastpitch Softball Association), coached at Lourdes High School and gave pitching lessons. I continued to play competitive softball throughout my 20s and 30s with the Macken Women鈥檚 Softball Team, competing in Nationals each year and taking first place three times.
Why did you decide to coach the Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC) softball team this year?
Stejskal: RCTC Athletic Director Mike Lester reached out to me last summer regarding the RCTC head softball coaching position. Mike and I have known each other for years, he was the head volleyball coach at St. Mary鈥檚 University of Minnesota in Winona while I was coaching at Viterbo. We talked through the role and I gave him all of the reasons why I didn鈥檛 think it would work with my busy schedule. We talked about who might be a good fit for the position and agreed to stay in touch. I left the meeting questioning if I should go back to my roots鈥� back to coaching at the college level again, a role I stepped away from 16 years ago. My husband, Mark, and I had multiple conversations, and he encouraged me to take the position. In August 2020, I became the head coach of the Mn Stix Fastpitch 14u club team in Rochester and Mark would remind me how much joy I had coaching that team. He saw how much of a natural fit it was for me, but I still had doubts. I wasn鈥檛 sure I could handle the workload. I asked Hanna Nelson – I coached her when she played softball at Lourdes and I played on a summer softball team with her in Rochester so I knew she would be a solid coach and also knew we would work well together – if she would be interested in the head coaching position. I encouraged her to take on the role and said I would be there to support her as the assistant coach. She was more interested in taking on the role of assistant if I chose to take on the head coaching role. While working in my garden a few weeks after meeting with Mike, I got a call from Mike Macken. He encouraged me to take the job and offered to come on board as a member of the coaching staff. I hung up the phone and called Mike Lester and accepted the position.
What kind of season are the women having?
Stejskal:聽The RCTC Yellowjackets had a strong season and I am so proud of them! We had 13 players this year, including 12 freshmen and one sophomore鈥� all at RCTC for the first time. We first met the team via zoom in August and began practicing in September. We held our first annual golf tournament in October to raise money to travel to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for spring training. We kicked off second semester with indoor practices, Wednesday night dinners and study table, and began to bond as a team. We hosted two dome tournaments, played a very competitive pre-conference season and finished third in the South Division of the MCAC Conference, qualifying for Regionals; we were one of four teams to advance. Our season came to an end on Friday, May 13th in St. Cloud. We finished 26-22 overall and 13-7 in conference play.
Any highlights you鈥檇 like to share?
Stejskal: One of the biggest highlights was traveling to St. Cloud and beating them 12-10 in the first game! St. Cloud finished first in conference and went on to advance to Nationals this season.
This group of strong, dedicated and determined young women showed up every day, worked hard, overcame obstacles and fought together as a team to achieve goals bigger than any individual player. Proud is an understatement.
What is your favorite thing about coaching?
Stejskal: My favorite thing about coaching is that I get to connect with girls and young women and show them that being a part of a softball team is magical. Playing softball is more than a sport. It is the opportunity to surround yourself with strong, committed, caring and passionate young women. It is a safe place where you can step away from all of the other struggles that each is facing and play a sport we all love鈥�. sweating, getting dirty and pushing ourselves to be the best version of ourselves. I love helping them understand that we are more than just a team, we are a family鈥� we lift each other up, we push each other, we love each other, we are empowered and we empower each other. I love pushing young women to strive to be the best versions of themselves, to accomplish the unimaginable and to extend grace and love not just to others, but especially to themselves.
What is your greatest challenge coaching?
Stejskal: Coaching junior college vs. coaching at a four-year college proved to be very different. With junior college, players do not have upperclassmen to help mentor freshmen and sophomore players. This becomes the role of the coaching staff. Senior leadership is expected of a sophomore student. Equipping players to take on that level of leadership is something I will spend time cultivating next season. Another huge challenge is ensuring that players have access to all resources available to them, and then getting them to use these resources. RCTC offers many things for their students, including access to The Hive Supply, a campus-based food pantry; personal counseling; academic advising; career coaching; crisis intervention; grief support services; academic planning; referrals to community resources; learning center tutors, etc. Having the services is one thing. Getting the team to utilize the services is another. The demands of a student athlete are high鈥� attend class, study, go to practice and games, strength training, study table and doing work study or working off campus. Time management is critical and if you are a player who also needs to add something else to a schedule, that can become a challenge.
Another major challenge is prioritizing mental wellness. The level of stress these players are under is high and making sure student athletes are getting the support they need is critical.
Finally, affordable housing options are a challenge. Students who need housing have no student housing options. I would love to see Rochester prioritize the importance of providing room and board options for students attending RCTC.
Outside of coaching, what are some of your other hobbies and interests? Please tell us about yourself.
Stejskal:聽I am a huge animal lover. I have two dogs, a cat and five chickens. I love being outside, except in the winter. I am not a fan of the cold! I love to garden and take pride in using everything I have grown to create delicious and nutritious meals. I love tent camping, hiking and visiting state and national parks. I love kayaking. I love to travel and explore how the locals live when traveling. I am thankful to be married to my best friend. Mark and I share the same interests and have a lot of fun together. Outdoor patios with live music and karaoke also bring me joy! I am someone who lives a life of being vocal for human rights for all. I do not shy away from conflict and will advocate for those in need.
Regarding the Rochester community, any favorite hot spots, venues or tips?
Stejskal: As I mentioned, I love live music and outdoor patios. Dog friendly patios are a plus! Whistle Binkies has always been a go-to since moving back to the Rochester area. I love stopping into the local breweries and enjoy karaoke at the Workshop Food Hall.
What is something interesting about you that most people don鈥檛 know?
Stejskal: I am a very outgoing and outspoken people person. I love being out and about, mixing and mingling with crowds of people. But something I dream of doing someday is off-grid living – living off the land and being fully self-sufficient, preferably in a much warmer climate鈥� Boquete, Panama seems like a dream location to live this lifestyle!
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