Softball season is approaching, and here at Miami High the team has a new assistant coach, Mr. Zabala who is an English teacher, but among the team, he is known as Coach Z.
Zabala is a kind person and role model for the softball team. Zabala played baseball for over 15 years, and although it is a different sport, it shares many things with softball. Zabala is in the process of turning the team’s weaknesses into strengths.
Who is the new softball assistant coach at the High?
Coach Zabala is in his second year of teaching at Miami Senior High. He graduated from Coral Gables Senior High School and later attended Florida State University. After finishing his bachelor’s degree, he came back down to Little Havana and decided to teach English at Miami Senior High.
With over 15 years of baseball experience, everyone wanted him to help coach the struggling softball team. Mr. Graham, the school’s athletic director, had been looking for a new assistant coach to help the team out for years, yet he could never find one. Into the palm of his hand fell Coach Zabala, who came to the High with guns blazing. In only his second year, he’s not only the assistant softball coach but also an active participant in multiple school events.
What inspired him to coach?
It’s not common for a new teacher to come in and want to help a team he has no connection with. When asked what inspired him to start coaching, he said, “The kids. I knew that they needed someone, someone to give them guidance and help them out.”
Zabala wants to give the girls the best chance they have when it comes to softball and life. His goal is not only to teach his players how to play but to teach them determination and commitment. He believes that when you’re an active participant in something, you should be committed and not leave anyone hanging on a limb. “You’re only as strong as your weakest link at the end of the day,” he says.
He wishes to take this upcoming season by the hand and lead by example. He said, “I expect the girls to show up and try their hardest with me by their side.”
When playing softball, the biggest thing is attention to detail. You only have seconds to determine what decision you will make. The decision you make may determine how the whole game turns out. This factor emphasizes paying attention to everything you do once you step on the field.
Coach Zabala stated, “I had a coach—Mayito was his name—and he would say ‘pivot the foot’ in a Cuban accent. Pivoting my foot is such a little thing that I would forget, and it created the attention to detail I have today.”
Team Spirit
Coach Zabala expects nothing but greatness for the 2025 softball season. Zabala wants to come back stronger than last year’s season. When the team won 4 games out of 8. He expects to have an amazing season and beat all the teams that are on the game schedule for the 2025 season.
He hopes to be a fun coach yet still be firm when needed. He believes that is what the team needs to grow. When asked to describe the team in two adjectives, he said, “Growing and fresh.”
Most of the players on this year’s team are completely new to softball and had never picked up a ball before the first practice of the year in September. Zabala’s biggest hope for the year is to have a motivated, committed, and determined team. He hopes his players stick it out together through the end and experience how much fun being part of a sport such as softball really is.
The team he’s most excited to play is his alma mater, Coral Gables Senior High. Even though that school will always hold a place in his heart, he’s not scared to beat them this year. Winning is what he’s expecting, and he will not settle for anything less.
Motivation
Coach Zabala’s motivation comes from his desire to make a lasting impact on his players’ lives, both on and off the field. He sees coaching as more than just teaching softball—it’s about building character, instilling values, and showing young athletes the rewards of hard work and dedication.
“I’m motivated by the idea that I can help these kids realize their potential,” Zabala said. “Softball is the vehicle, but the destination is so much bigger. It’s about teaching them lessons they can carry into adulthood—like perseverance, accountability, and the importance of teamwork.” One of his biggest inspirations comes from the progress he sees in his players.
For Coach Zabala, every practice, every game, and every interaction are opportunities to inspire and uplift his players. His passion for coaching comes from a genuine love for helping others and watching them succeed—not just as athletes, but as people.
