Galen Struve has guided the Rockhurst softball program since its inception in 2005. The Hawks have won 213 games and earned three berths in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament over the past 11 seasons.
Struve guided the Hawks to a 16-16 record in their first season in 2005 while playing as an independent with only 11 players. In his fourth season, the Hawks finished with their first winning record (28-20) and earned their first berth in the GLVC Tournament in 2008. Rockhurst also earned berths in the 2011, 2014 and 2015 GLVC Tournaments.
In 1990, Struve began his college coaching career at William Jewell College, where he served as pitching instructor before taking over as head coach in 1992. His teams established school records for most wins in a season (28) and won back-to-back Heart of America Conference championships in 1992 and ’93. He was named HAAC Coach of the Year in 1993.
Struve served as the pitching instructor and recruiting coordinator at the University of Missouri-Kansas City before taking over as head coach in 1996. His 1999 team rewrote the UMKC record book in almost every offensive, pitching and defensive categories. UMKC established a school record for wins in a season in 1999 and 2000. The ’99 and ’00 teams both reached postseason play for the first time. While at UMKC, Struve served on the NCAA Division I Midwest Regional Rating Committee and was elected the Mid-Continent Conference softball representative to
the NCAA.
A two-year head coaching stint at Avila University in 2001-02 brought more challenges for Struve. Besides bringing a winning record (52-46) to the program, he founded the Annual Dennis Gault Memorial Tournament, one of the top ongoing NAIA tournaments in the Midwest.
Struve is a recognized fastpitch clinician and pitching instructor in the Kansas City metropolitan area, instructing on average 150 softball pitchers each year. Over the past 20 years, his summer competition teams have made seven ASA Regional appearances, four ASA National appearances, three AFA Nationals and numerous Metro Championships. He is actively involved in the Blue Springs Girls Athletic Association. He also played men’s competitive fastpitch softball on many levels for 23 years, primarily as a shortstop, pitcher and catcher.
In addition to coaching, Struve has been a free-lance illustrator and designer for more than 25 years. He is a graduate of the Omaha Art Institute and Kansas City Art Institute.
Struve and his wife, Elaine, make their home in Blue Springs, Mo. They have a daughter, Dana, and two granddaughters, Shayla and Emily.
