COACHING STAFF
RITG-LFC
Head Coach
Gillian Kane
Gillian Kane is a former standout softball player and a rising leader in coaching youth sports. A record-setting pitcher at New Canaan High School, she amassed 31 career wins, 569 strikeouts, and 121 hits, finishing with a .437 batting average. Her dominance on the mound earned her multiple All-FCIAC honors, including First Team recognition as a senior, when she led the league with 234 strikeouts. Gillian still holds the all-time record at NCHS for Strikeouts in a Season and Career Strikeouts.
Beyond high school, she continued her softball career at Springfield College, where she was a five-year player and served as Co-Captain in 2021 and 2022.
Gillian’s passion for softball and leadership has seamlessly transitioned into coaching. She is the Head Varsity Softball Coach at King School in Stamford, CT. Gillian has also coached at all levels of the game, including 12u/14u travel ball, as well as assistant coaching roles for both varsity and JV teams at New Canaan High School. She holds a master’s degree in Athletic Leadership from Springfield College and teaches in the Wilton Public Schools system.
​
Gillian currently serves as the head coach for the RI Thunder-LFC 16u/18u Kane team.
Head Coach
Kaitlyn Schmeiser
Kaitlyn Schmeiser is a 2015 graduate of the University of Maryland, where she was a four-year starter for the varsity softball team. She competed in three seasons of Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play and spent her final year in the Big Ten, gaining valuable experience against some of the nation’s top competition and ranked teams. Primarily a pitcher, Kaitlyn also played first base and contributed offensively during her senior year. Her strongest season came as a senior, when she recorded a career-high 19 wins, 5 saves, and 176 strikeouts over 208 innings.
​
Before her collegiate career, Kaitlyn was a four-year starter on her high school team and still remains the only pitcher in the history of the state of Maryland to win four state championships. In her final season, she was named the 2011 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year, the Washington Post All-Metro Player of the Year (MD/DC/VA), and the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Kaitlyn spent summers competing with the Severna Park Hornets premier team, who sent players to Division I schools all over the east coast.
Following her playing career, Kaitlyn's love of the game carried her into coaching, both at the high school and travel ball levels. She previously served as the pitching coach at King Upper School during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, and works with pitchers as a personal instructor.
Kaitlyn currently serves as the head coach of the RI Thunder-LFC 14u KS team.
.png)
Head Coach
Justin Palmer
Justin Palmer has quickly established himself as a respected and passionate coach within the travel softball community. Since transitioning from baseball to softball coaching in 2022 during his time at the University of Dayton, he has coached both 14U and 16U teams while bringing a competitive, player-first approach to every program he leads.
With over a decade of coaching experience across youth sports, Justin’s background as a multi-sport athlete and longtime center fielder gives him a strong understanding of leadership, player development, and what it takes to compete at a high level. His ability to connect with athletes and help build confidence both on and off the field has made him a valued mentor to the players he coaches.
Justin currently serves as the head coach for the RI Thunder-LFC 14U JP team, with his brother Jason serving as his assistant.
Assistant Coach
AJ Hall
AJ Hall is a dedicated softball coach who brings a strong athletic background and a passion for developing young athletes. He was a standout football player at Norwalk High School, where he earned multiple First Team All-FCIAC honors in recognition of his exceptional athleticism, leadership, and competitive drive. He still holds all-time records for numerous receiving statistics throughout the City of Norwalk. AJ was a multi-sport athlete, playing basketball and lacrosse in addition to his starring role on the football team.
Following his time at Norwalk High, AJ continued his football career at Western New England University, where he was a five-year player and served as a Co-Captain in 2022.
AJ has taken up coaching multiple youth sports with the same passion he had for playing multiple sports in high school. AJ previously served as a 14u travel softball coach. In addition, AJ coaches at Greenwich Country Day School, where he is Assistant Varsity Softball Coach and a Middle School Football Coach. AJ also coaches girls travel basketball, where he has served as Head Coach of 8th grade and 6th grade girls teams for New Canaan Basketball Association over the past few years.
​
AJ currently serves as an assistant coach with the RI Thunder-LFC 16u/18u Kane team.
Assistant Coach
Jason Palmer
Jason Palmer brings a strong athletic background and a passion for mentoring young athletes. A Stamford native and former multi-sport athlete at Stamford High School, Jason grew up around the game of softball, inspired by his mother, a record-setting catcher at the University of Connecticut.
​
Jason earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2022. He has coached youth baseball for several years and has spent the past three years coaching softball. He focuses on helping athletes strengthen their fundamentals, build confidence, compete at a high level, and develop a lasting love for the game in a positive and supportive environment.
He is currently the assistant coach of the RI Thunder-LFC 14U JP team, alongside his brother, Justin.
NOT PICTURED
Dan Malkoun
Executive Director
Mike Carriero
Program Director, Assistant Coach, RI-Thunder-LFC 14u KS
Kara Fahey
Assistant Coach, RI Thunder-LFC 16u/18u Kane