Jay Stratton, who guided the Stratford, Conn., Brakettes to the 2006 Amateur Softball Association National Women's Major Fastpitch championship, joins Barbara Reinalda's staff this year.

Stratton joined the Brakettes as an assistant coach in 1998. He was named the head coach of the amateur Brakettes in 2005 when the Connecticut Brakettes joined the National Pro Fastpitch league. During his tenure, the Brakettes have won four ASA national titles.

Stratton also has experience on the collegiate level. He was an assistant coach at Southern Connecticut for three years and served as an assistant baseball coach at the University of Bridgeport for three years. In 2001, he helped UB post its best record since 1973.

A graduate of Jacksonville State, Stratton earned All-America honors as a catcher in 1993 after leading Division II in home runs with a school-record 26. He went on to play professionally in the Boston Red Sox organization and was the 1993 recipient of the Presidents Award, presented for ability, desire and dedication. Stratton also played for the Lubbock Crickets in the Texas-Louisiana League and was a 1996 all-star selection.