OUR STAFF

Cassandra’s love for sports began in northern Minnesota, playing every sport she could. After moving to Naperville in 1993, she pursued golf, softball, gymnastics, and basketball, ultimately playing high school softball at Naperville Central and NCAA Division I golf at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she earned a degree in consumer education and marketing. Now a real estate broker in Aurora, Cassandra lives with her husband, Tim, and daughters, Kendall and Addyson.

Cassandra’s passion for coaching youth sports stems from her own positive experiences. She began coaching WAA Rec Softball in 2013 and became a Spikes head coach in 2017, leading teams to multiple tournament successes, including many championship appearances & wins. In her 9th season as a Spikes head coach and 3rd season as the director, Cassandra is dedicated to helping athletes develop a love for the game, improve their skills, and apply lessons from the field to life.

Klen has a long history with the Spikes, dating back to the program’s beginning. She not only brings an extensive background and knowledge of the sport but is extremely passionate about growing the game and the future development of softball with the athletes’ best interests in mind.

Following her dream of attending the University of Arizona, Klen joined the softball staff at Arizona as their video coordinator 2012-2016. After graduation Klen pursued her master’s degree in Sports Management at Northern Illinois and was the volunteer assistant softball coach, 2016-2018.

“I have a lot of passion for this program and the opportunities it gave me throughout my life and I am excited to give back to the program and hopefully give another young girl the opportunity to dream big and succeed.”

Coach Dee has always been passionate about sports, but softball became her lifelong favorite. 'Softball has impacted me in ways I can’t fully express.' A former WAA and Spikes player, she continued her softball career at Oswego East High School and NCAA Division III at the University of Dubuque, where she’ll graduate in December 2023 with a degree in elementary education and endorsements in reading and special education.

Now in her 5th season as a Spikes 16U assistant coach and 3rd season as the Spikes Player Development Coach, Deanna’s passion for teaching and coaching stems from the positive experiences she had as a Spikes player. 'The best part of coaching is watching players grow into fantastic athletes and people, returning each season to achieve more.'

Coach Dee is committed to fostering a love of the game and helping players reach their full potential, giving back to a program that shaped her own journey.

Brian is a former standout pitcher at Northern Illinois University where he received a Master's Degree in Sports Management. Brian coached and managed multiple collegiate and professional baseball teams including the Windy City Thunderbolts, the Rockford Rivets and the Madison Mallards. Brian is currently the WAA Manager of Programming as well as the Administrator for our Spikes Travel Softball, Ducks Travel Baseball and Wizards Travel Basketball.