ABOUT US
Dan & Kristi Paulson
Dan & Kristi Paulson just finished their fifth season (2023-24) as Co-Head Coaches of the Parkland softball program. The pair took over the reins in the fall of 2020. Prior to that, the pair served as volunteer coaches for the Cobras. Under their direction, the Paulson's have propelled Parkland to a record of 147-50 (.746 winning percentage), four straight M-WAC conference titles, three Central District Championships, and three top 10 finishes at the NJCAA DII World Series. The duo was named MWAC Coaches of the year 2021,22,23,24 Region 24 Coaches of the Year 2021,23,24, NFCA Midwest Regional Coaches of the Year 2024.
The Paulsons created Premier Fastpitch in 2011 and has seen the program develop into a routine competitor on the national stage. Placing in the top-10 at numerous national tournaments, the Paulsons most recently coached the 2018 Premier Fastpitch 16u team to a ninth-place finish at nationals in Huntington Beach, California. In addition to contending at the national level, the program has also dominated at the state level, winning eight Illinois State ‘A’ Championships. The Paulsons were responsible for helping in the recruiting process for all athletes in their program. To this date, there are over 150 athletes who played for Premier Fastpitch and have competed in college softball at all levels of play.
Meet Kristi
Kristi grew up in Mattoon, IL attending Mattoon High School. After high school, Kristi attended Lake Land College where she played collegiate softball under the guidance of Coach Denny Throneburg. Kristi later continued her education at Eastern Illinois University where she pursued a degree in Kinesioligy and Sport Studies with a K-12 certification in physical education. She worked as a Girls Physical Educator and Conditioning Coach for Tuscola High School as well as assisting in Girls Cross Country, Basketball, and Softball.
Meet Dan
Born and raised in Mattoon, IL - Dan Paulson attended Mattoon High School and played collegiate basketball at Lake Land College for a year before he took an opportunity to buy and run his own business now known in the community as Wave Graphics. Dan also acquired multiple commercial printing businesses in the Champaign community, and merged them together forming Premier Print Group. As a business owner, Dan understands the value of team and leadership in order to run a successful business.