Kirk Walker Named Head Coach Of NPF's California Commotion

Kirk Walker was named the head coach of the NPF's California Commotion on Monday, the league announced.

Walker, who most recently helped UCLA win the 2019 NCAA championship as an assistant coach for the Bruins, will also serve as the Commotion's assistant general manager in 2020. Walker was previously the head coach of the Commotion when the squad was a women's ASA team.

"I am very excited for this opportunity to lead the new Commotion team and to help grow the professional level of fastpitch on the West Coast," Walker said in a statement. "The history of the California Commotion is based on putting high-level athletes with great passion and character on the field to produce a winning culture."

The NPF's addition of the Commotion, which is the first West Coast team in the league since 2005, was announced last week. The team is owned by entrepreneur and UCLA graduate Damon Zumwalt, and its general manager is former NPF Events Director Deb Hartwig.

"It is an honor to work with Damon and Deb to build an organization that can extend the opportunity for high-level collegiate athletes to compete and perform on the professional stage," Walker continued in the statement. "California and the West Coast have a rich tradition for impacting the sport of softball from the grassroots level and beyond. With the great year-round weather and the huge numbers of young women playing the game here on the West Coast, there is a huge opportunity to entertain, educate, motivate and inspire the next generation of athletes and the fans of the game."

The 2020 season will mark the 17th in NPF history.

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