Meet the Director
John Gambale
John Gambale as been running the New England Storm from Day 1. He has coached at various levels of softball including high school and college. John is currently the Assistant Softball Coach at Lynn Classical High School after spending two seasons at Brandeis University and two seasons at Eastern Nazarene College.
John's journey in creating the Storm program began more than 20 years ago as a means of bringing opportunity to his daughters and other young girls in his community.
The Storm has grown over the years and evolved to meet the needs of the softball community. "I am particular in my coaching methods. We strive to place a high focus on improving all of the players, which usually boils down to fundamentals. I’ve been very concerned about which coaches I invite in. I want consistency, a strong effort, and in an enjoyable atmosphere. We have a coaching curriculum that all must follow. This is a tremendous aid in delivering a consistent message to the players."
JOE MORIN
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Head Coach - 18U/ 14U / Player Development
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Joe has been with the Storm for 11 years coaching all different age groups. Joe works closely with John organizing try-outs and the indoor curriculum. Joe has a passion for teaching and developing skills/fundamentals. ​Joe is a former NCAA Division III baseball player at Daniel Webster College, where he earned 3 Conference Championships and 2 NCAA tournament appearances.
Currently, Joe is the Head Girls' Softball Coach at Lynn Classical High School. Where his team has qualified for the State Tournament each season as well as winning a conference championship in 2022.
ERIN McKENNA
Co-Head Coach - 18U
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Erin is entering her fifth season with the Storm organization and started with our U12 team. Erin is a former NCAA Division II softball player, as well as a conference champion and Hall of Famer at Post University. Erin was standout at Beverly High School and was an Agganis All Star game MVP.
RICH McMANUS
Head Coach - 14U - McManus
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Rich is returning to the storm sidelines this season to work with our U14s. Rich coached for over 10 years with the Storm all age group from 12u to 18u. Rich has a great understanding of the game and a great mind for coaching pitchers. Rich's daughter played with Storm and went on to pitch in college.
Rich is currently the Head Softball Coach at Mystic Valley High School and his team is coming off a 16-6 season while advancing to the final 16 in the MIAA Tournament. Rich was named coach of the year for the conference!
SHANNON MORIN
Coaching Staff- 14U Morin
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Shannon returns to the Storm for her 3rd season as a head coach and is coaching one of our U14 teams. Shannon was a pitcher in college playing NCAA Division III softball at Nichols College. Shannon is a former Storm athlete and enjoys giving back to the program.
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Shannon also helps coach Pelham High School NH as a pitching coach where she was an All State player for Pelham.
EMMA BURKE
Coaching Staff - 12U
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Emma is in her second year of her coaching career with the Storm! She is a Storm alum (10 years) and a Junior at Curry College where she plays both basketball and softball. Emma is a Sport and Recreation major with a minor in Coaching and Photography. She graduated from Bishop Fenwick where she was a 4 year 3 sport varsity athlete. Emma is dedicated and passionate about sports and developing young players both on and off the field. She was named Curry College Softball Rookie of the Year. She is also a part of Morgan’s Message at Curry and a member of the Curry Student-Athlete Leadership Program.
BRIAN BURKE
Coaching Staff - 12U
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Brian has over 20 years of coaching experience at multiple levels. His current responsibilities in the Storm program include, but are not limited to talent acquisition, support in the college recruiting process and coaching. He has been in the Storm organization for over 10 years and works with players year-round in preparation for their upcoming athletic milestones. Over the 10 years, Brian has had success coaching at every level of the program and continues to make an impact on the New England Storm, our players, and the softball community.
JACKIE DAVIS
College Recruiting Coordinator
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Jackie has 16 years of college softball coaching experience, as well as 11 years of college athletic administration experience. She played college softball at NCAA Division II Post University. Currently, the Head Softball Coach/Associate Senior Woman Administrator at Rutgers University - Newark, Jackie's responsibilities with the Storm include ongoing education of the college process/recruiting for our Storm families, preparation for college showcase events and oversight of all facets of the recruiting process for our Storm athletes, as well as the management of our social media.