Hello

My Story

My name is Lu Frias, and I’ve been coaching and instructing since 2015, when I founded New England Softball Club (NESC). As the Director of Training and Development, I’ve had the privilege of working with a remarkable group of athletes and families over the years, many of whom have gone on to achieve impressive success on and off the field.

I launched Rhode Island Softball Academy because I recognized a clear gap in quality, position-specific training for the younger age divisions. Growing up in Los Angeles, I saw firsthand the impact that strong coaching philosophies and early fundamentals had on young athletes—particularly in the 12U level and below. Out West, players were taught to explore advanced skills like bunting from both sides, slapping, and developing finesse at the plate long before reaching the high school level. These techniques didn’t just improve performance, they revealed hidden talents and built confident, versatile athletes.

As a pitching instructor, I studied under Janelle Carlson, owner of the respected “Lady Sting” program. That mentorship shaped much of how I now approach instructing pitchers—focusing on mechanics, command, and strategic pitch sequencing. I’m proud that my students pitchers at NESC boast a deep and skilled pitching rotation, and in 2023,  2024, and 2025 our 10U squad earned back-to-back -to-back State Championships—powered by pitchers who can confidently command their fastball while mixing speeds and executing multiple pitch types.

I’ve always believed that great coaching doesn’t just teach skills—it builds mindset, resilience, and joy in the game. RISA is an extension of that belief.