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Fastpitch Coaching Staff
Our coaching staff encourages our athletes to contact their coach directly with questions, concerns, or to relay messages. Learning to communicate with adults is an important life skill and we welcome that interaction with all of our athletes. Parents are also encouraged to contact their daughter's coach with any questions.
You may email any coach by clicking on their picture or name below. Click here to send an email to the entire coaching staff.
You may leave a message for one of the coaches by calling the John Marshall Athletic office at 507-328-5330. For general questions about JM Athletics please contact the Athletic Director Brian Ihrke.
507-398-3408 (cell)
507-529-9428 (home)
Thang Nguyen - Varsity Head Coach
In 2020 Coach Nguyen will be in his 19th year as the Varsity Head Coach and 26th year overall with the John Marshall softball program. Coach Nguyen is JM's all time winningest softball coach with an overall record of 215-202 including a career best 19-6 record in 2012. Coach Nguyen earned Big Nine Coach of the Year honors in 2013 and 2012, and the team claimed consecutive Section 1AAA runner-up finishes in 2012 & 2011. The last two seasons the varsity team finished 4th in Section 1AAAA and finished in the top half of the Big Nine.
Coach Nguyen is a health teacher at JM. A 1987 graduate of John Marshall, Thang received his Health Education degree from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where he ran track.
Thang is married to wife Sarah, and has three sons; Marcus (John Marshall student), Maxwell, and Mason.
507-291-0224 (cell)
507-252-5696 (home)
Brendan Adams - Varsity Assistant Coach
Coach Adams enters his 18th year with the JM softball program as varsity assistant. Coach Adams is a strength coach and physical education teacher at John Marshall. Brendan is also the head coach for the JV football team at JM.
Brendan is a 1985 graduate of John Marshall high school and has been in Rochester since the age of seven. Brendan is married to wife Amy, and has three daughters - Jenna (JM graduate), Taryn (JM Softball graduate), and Taylor (John Marshall student).
507-951-1631 (cell)
507-288-0803 (home)
Don Jochum - JV Head Coach
Coach Jochum is in his 12th year with the JM softball program, and 10th season as the JV head coach. Coach Jochum has coached summer RYFSA teams for many years and previously served as the RYFSA president.
Don is married to wife Beth and has three kids; Jordan (JM graduate), Haley (JM Softball graduate), and Ashley (JM Softball graduate).
507-358-7115 (cell)
507-281-3011 (home)
Mike Breitbach - Assistant Coach
Mike has been a volunteer coach with the JM Softball program for the last 19 seasons, the last 16 years with the Varsity team. Mike works as a software engineer with IBM (30 years) and has also coached summer fastpitch through RYFSA the last 19 seasons.
Mike is married to wife Valerie and has two kids who graduated from JM; Kate (JM Softball alum) and Betsy.
