CGP Conference Speaker Highlights
FIS Frankfurt
Keynote Speakers
KAYLA HATTING
Kayla Hatting is entering her 10th season as the head softball coach at St. Olaf College, where she has transformed the program into one of the MIAC’s top contenders. Since taking the helm in 2016, she has led the Oles to a 203-121 (.627) record and a dominant 125-50 (.714) mark in conference play. Under her leadership, the program claimed its first MIAC regular-season title and NCAA Tournament appearance since 1996, earning her MIAC Coach of the Year honors in 2021.
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Hatting has guided her teams to seven consecutive MIAC Playoff appearances (when held), consistently reaching the 20-win mark each season—a feat the program hadn’t achieved in nearly two decades prior to her arrival. She has developed numerous All-MIAC and NFCA All-Region players, including three NFCA All-Americans, while also raising the academic profile of the program with multiple CSC Academic honors.
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Beyond the field, Hatting advises St. Olaf’s Special Olympics Club and co-advises the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), promoting leadership and service among student-athletes. She also brings extensive experience in the club softball circuit, serving as a coach, mentor, and director.
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With a background as both a standout student-athlete and a successful coach at multiple levels, Hatting brings a wealth of insight into team culture, program building, and player development—making her a highly respected voice in the coaching community.
BETH BARZ
Beth Barz is a veteran coach, educator, and nationally recognized coach developer based in Kingston, Ontario. With over 30 years of coaching experience—including 23 varsity seasons and eight years leading the Royal Military College Men’s Rugby Team—Beth brings a unique blend of field-tested grit and reflective insight to every conversation about coaching.
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She is the founder of The Coach Developer, a consulting practice that helps sport leaders untangle complex challenges with wisdom, curiosity, and
just the right amount of wit. Beth balances her time as a part-time high school teacher, rugby coach, Ph.D. student, and mentor to coaches across Canada.
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A NCCP Master Coach Developer, World Rugby Master Trainer, and faculty member in the Advanced Coaching Diploma programs at the Canadian Sport Institutes in Ontario and Alberta, Beth is deeply committed to growing the profession of coaching. In 2022, she was named National Coach Developer of the Year by the Coaching Association of Canada for her outstanding contributions to the field.
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Beth's values are simple but powerful: keep learning, collaborating, challenging, and supporting others in their quest to thrive in coaching - whether that's over coffee (cocktails), conversation, or a coaching session that leaves a coach thinking differently than when they arrived.
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