LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) is honored to announce member coaches Mallory Holtman-Fletcher, Brittney Lightfoot and Nikki Stein are the first three recipients of the Mary Nutter Scholarship.

The educational grant, named for the former Pittsburg State (Kan.) head coach and 1997 NFCA Hall of Fame inductee who founded National Sports Clinics, seeks to continue Nutter’s effort to provide softball coaches at all levels access to the best minds in the sport to help them become better coaches themselves. Recipients receive funding to attend the NFCA National Convention, where they can improve their skills at educational seminars and through interaction with their fellow convention attendees. This year’s convention is Dec. 3-6 at Bally’s in Las Vegas, Nev.

Holtman-Fletcher is interested in building on the success she has had as the head coach at NCAA Division II Central Washington University.

“I know that the knowledge that is available in our field is ever-growing and I want to be able to share in that,” she wrote in her application. “Budget cuts have occurred and we have lost funding for education. This opportunity would allow me to talk to the best in our field and learn what we need to take our program to the next step and be able to make myself a better coach for the ladies that put so much into this program.

“I was lucky enough to attend the Nashville convention (in 2009) while I was a GA, and when I returned I was reinvigorated. I cherish the thought of talking to the Patrick Murphys and Sue Enquists of our profession.”

Bethel (Ind.) College assistant Lightfoot was nominated by her head coach, Megan Hastings, who said that the budget at their NAIA school would not pay for both of them to attend.

“I’d like to attend a convention in order to learn more about coaching from successful coaches,” Hastings wrote, “and to gain tips about not just running practices, but about motivation and keeping a team passionate about softball.”

Stein is a young Division II coach who Lake Superior State University head coach Lori Shimasaki thinks can really blossom with the type of professional development the convention offers.

“She is my only assistant coach, who takes on many responsibilities while her salary is less than equal (to those tasks),” Shimasaki wrote. “Nikki cannot afford to attend the convention each year (but) has great potential for pitching growth, and I would like for her to build on her talent by attending.”

Nutter, who died suddenly in July 2012 while vacationing in Colorado, compiled a 204-125 record over eight years at Pittsburg State, which was an NAIA school at the time. She got her start in coaching with three years as a graduate assistant at Michigan State, after seven years as a teacher in nearby Elsie, Mich.

In 1981, Nutter won the first of three NAIA District 10 titles and the first of her three District 10 Coach of the Year honors (1981, 1982, 1985). That 1981 squad finished fourth at the NAIA national championship and she served as an assistant coach for the 1983 Pan American Tri-Nationals team and was a member of the 1984 U.S. Pan American selection committee. Nutter was an 1988 inductee into the NAIA Hall of Fame.

As a player, Nutter was a two-time first-team All-American (1974-75) for the Lansing Laurels, an ASA Women’s Major fastpitch team and spent 1976 as player-coach for the Michigan Travelers of the Women’s Professional Softball League.