David Middleton enters his ninth year as head coach of the Bethel softball program, after previously serving as an assistant since 2011 when the program began.
Coach Middleton is a graduate of Sterling College where he was a two-sport athlete playing baseball and football for the Warriors from 1989-1992. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Behavioral Science with a minor in Physical Education and Coaching.Â
Middleton started coaching at the club level and led his 2012 18U softball team to consecutive state championships and a seventh-place finish at Nationals. While coaching club ball, Middleton helped develop many players who have gone on to compete at the NAIA, NJCAA, and NCAA DI levels.
In the 2017-18 season, Middleton's first year as head coach at Bethel, he guided the Threshers to their first playoff berth in program history, as well as breaking the program's overall and conference wins records.
Coach Middleton has been a part of a program which in only nine years of existence has produced 24 All-KCAC selections, seven consecutive NAIA All-Scholar Teams, 27 NAIA Scholar-Athletes, 52 KCAC Scholar-Athletes, nine NAIA Champions of Character designees, and one CoSIDA Academic All-District player. The Threshers were also named the KCAC Team of Character in 2016, 2020 and 2021.
Coach Middleton has traveled across the Midwest and West Coast providing hitting and outfield instruction at clinics in the following states; Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, and California.
In 2019, Coach Middleton led the TMB Nationals All-Star team in Fort Worth, Texas.
In July 2020, Middleton will also coach Team USA - Kansas as they take on international opponents in Barcelona, Spain.
Middleton is also the team's strength and conditioning coach and is certified through the National Exercise and Strength Trainers Association (NESTA).
