Meet the Coaches

The Missoula Impact Baseball Club has assembled a high-level coaching staff for the 2025 season and beyond. All of our contracted coaches have played college baseball and have a deep understanding of the game. Most importantly, the coaches collectively possess a high level of instructional skill and are committed to helping Impact players develop their baseball skills, intellect, and approach to play at the next level.

 Meet the guys!

Colton Little

Director of Operations

  • The Missoula Impact Baseball Club partners with The Hitting Barn to oversee its baseball operations. The Hitting Barn was founded and is operated by Colton Little, a four-year starter at Colorado Mesa University, a Division II college baseball powerhouse in Grand Junction, Colorado. In 2013, Little was First-Team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference as a senior, hitting .343 and leading the juggernaut Colorado Mesa team to a 35-3 conference record, an RMAC championship, and a berth in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Baseball Championships. As a junior, Little hit .344, was Second Team All-RMAC, and was named American Baseball Coaches Association All-Central Region Gold Glove 2nd Team. Colorado Mesa has long been one of the Nation’s premier NCAA Division II programs, finishing as College World Series runner-up in 2014 and 2019.

    Little then spent the last decade coaching elite high school club baseball for the Slammers North club in Denver, Colorado. He also served as a scout team coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Little brings a wealth of knowledge, instructional skill, and opportunities from the years of playing college baseball and coaching at the highest level of prep baseball in the Mountain West. In 2022, as head coach of the Slammers North 17U team, Little coached Walker Martin who became the 52nd overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, a second-round selection of the San Francisco Giants that signed an over-slot $3 million signing bonus. Dozens of Little’s former players are now playing college baseball and/or in line to be future MLB draft picks.

    Little’s hitting-focused instructional coaching skill set is off the charts. He possesses a deep understanding of the mechanics of hitting and has a proven track record of being able to teach advanced hitting principles to high school kids. The Hitting Barn in the Potomac Valley has quickly established a growing list of athletes, both baseball and softball players, in the Missoula area. The Hitting Barn offers baseball and softball hitting lessons and defensive work for all ages. Impact Baseball is proud to partner with the Hitting Barn in this unique instructional coaching arrangement.

Ryan Roche

18U Head Coach

  • Roche leads Impact’s 18U summer season team. Roche was a prep standout at Chatsworth Charter High School in southern California, one of the Nation’s premier high school baseball programs. Chatsworth was a perennial powerhouse in the early 2000s, including a 35-0 campaign and #1 national ranking by USA Today and Baseball America in 2004. Chatsworth’s storied baseball program produced dozens of professional baseball players, including Mike Moustakas, a 13-year MLB veteran, who starred for the Kansas City Royals and Milwaukee Brewers.

    During his junior season in 2016, Roche went 9-1 with an 0.86 ERA and was named First-Team All-West Valley League and conference Pitcher of the Year. Roche led Chatsworth to a Los Angeles Section City title clash and was the starting pitcher in the championship game at Dodger Stadium. Roche was recruited heavily out of high school and committed to Montana State University–Billings as a pitcher and utility player on a baseball scholarship. In 2018, as a redshirt freshman, Roche set an MSU-Billings school record with six hits in a game and went on to have a stellar campaign, hitting .347 for the season. Roche played four seasons at MSU-Billings before recently relocating to Missoula.

    Roche’s understanding of the game was shaped by some of the best coaches in the West, including long-time Chatsworth head coach Tom Meusborn, who recently replaced former MLB player Jerry Roster as head coach at Sierra Canyon, one of the Nation’s premier athletic high schools. Roche is particularly valuable as a pitching and defensive coach because he played every position, including serving as a two-way pitcher and position player at the NCAA Division II level. In 2024, Roche was named Big Sky High School Varsity Baseball Head Coach and led the Eagles program to a State berth in its inaugural season.

Jensen Lewis

Assistant Coach (Instructional)

  • Lewis serves as an instructional coach for both the Impact’s 18U and 14 teams. He played NCAA Division 1 college baseball at the University of New Mexico and brings a wealth of high-level baseball knowledge from his experiences at elite club, high school, and collegiate levels. 

    Lewis developed his baseball skills playing for the Albuquerque Baseball Academy from ages 14 to 18 alongside Alex Bregman, Mitch Garver, Blake Swihart, and other future MLB players. The ABA is one of the most successful baseball clubs in the Nation, having produced over 200 NCAA Division 1 signees and 42 MLB draft picks since 2003. Lewis played in tournaments and showcases nationwide, including the Arizona Fall Classic and the Connie Mack World Series, as well as tournaments across Texas, Las Vegas, Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Colorado. He had a stellar high school career as an infielder but was recruited as a D-1 pitcher and committed to the University of New Mexico. He redshirted his freshman season and then played collegiate summer ball for the Pittsfield Suns in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League in New England with talented players from large college programs like LSU and Oklahoma. 

    Lewis gained valuable insights during his playing days. His experience includes over five years of one-on-one coaching with former big leaguers through ABA and the two years of playing at the D-1 collegiate level before an injury ended his career. Lewis has impressive leadership and mentoring abilities and will use his passion for the game to inspire Impact’s athletes in their pursuit of playing baseball at the next level.

Shane Jefferson

18U Assistant Coach

  • Jefferson brings solid pitching knowledge to the Impact Baseball coaching staff from his experience as a pitcher at Elmhurst University in Illinois. The left-handed pitcher completed a decorated career with the Great Falls Chargers in 2023. Jefferson participated in numerous showcases and events during his high school career, including playing on Montana’s Big Sky Baseball fall scout team in the Arizona Fall Classic. He had several college offers and committed to Elmhurst University where he played during his freshman year. In 2024, Jefferson began his coaching career as Missoula Impact’s 18U Fall Ball Assistant Coach. He has served as 18U Acting Head Coach in both Fall Ball and during the summer 2025 campaign. He led the 2024 Impact team to the U-18 Medicine Hat Fall Ball Tournament Championship in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Jefferson is currently a member of the Big Sky High School Varsity Baseball coaching staff.

Paul Wilson

16U Head Coach

  • Wilson is a member of the Big Sky High School baseball coaching staff, leading the JV squad and serving as Varsity Assistant Coach. Wilson has long been a fixture in the Missoula travel baseball scene, coaching youth baseball club teams for over a decade including the MudDawgs and Eagles squads. Wilson also coaches high school football. 

Brennan Labbe

16U Assistant Coach

  • Labbe brings an advanced set of baseball skills for a young coach. He played at Centralia College in the Northwest Athletic Conference for part of the 2024-2025 season. Labbe had an impressive run as a four-year starting left-handed pitcher and outfielder for the Missoula Eagles, Missoula Impact, and Missoula Mavericks that culminated with winning the 2024 American Legion AA State Championship with the Mavericks. Labbe was named Impact’s 2023 Offensive Player of the Year. He participated in several Perfect Game events during high school. 

    Lewis developed his baseball skills playing for the Albuquerque Baseball Academy from ages 14 to 18 alongside Alex Bregman, Mitch Garver, Blake Swihart, and other future MLB players.The ABA is one of the most successful baseball clubs in the Nation, having produced over 200 NCAA Division 1 signees and 42 MLB draft picks since 2003. Lewis played in tournaments and showcases nationwide, including the Arizona Fall Classic and the Connie Mack World Series, as well as tournaments across Texas, Las Vegas, Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Colorado. He had a stellar high school career as aninfielder and planned to attend New Mexico JC but was recruited as a D-1 pitcher and committed to the University of New Mexico. He redshirted his freshman season and then playedcollegiate summer ball for the Pittsfield Suns in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League in New England with talented players from large college programs like LSU, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma.

    Lewis established a vast array of baseball connections and gained valuable insights during his playing days. His experience includes over five years of one-on-one coaching with former big leaguers through ABA and the two years of playing at the D1 collegiate level before an injury ended his career. He is passionate about sharing his knowledge to support young athletes in developing their skills and extending their baseball careers. Lewis has impressive leadership and mentoring abilities and will use his passion for the game to inspire Impact’s athletes in their pursuit of playing baseball at the next level.

Roanie Elliot

16U Volunteer Assistant Coach

  • Elliot has coached competitive travel ball clubs and youth baseball in Missoula for over a decade. 

Jeff Friesen

14U Head Coach

  • Friesen has coached youth baseball for several years and began his Impact tenure as our 14U Fall Ball head coach in 2024.

Kris Welker

14U Volunteer Assistant Coach

  • Welker played at the University of Iowa in 2004-2005, earning third-team All-Big Ten. He was drafted in the 41st round by the Chicago White Sox and played two years of professional baseball. Kris later served as an Assistant Coach at the College of Southern Idaho.