Luke Shepherd, known as Coach Shep, is a coach focusing on the player first mentality.  He is a hitting instructor and the manager of The WAVE Athletics.  He has spent the last 20+ years coaching athletics (softball, baseball, basketball, track, and golf).  Shepherd spent 15 years as a strength and conditioning coach, and he earned his Exercise Science degree at UNO. He has a passion for biomechanics (how they body moves through activities).  

In 2014 Coach Shep was transferred to Lincoln for his job as a club manager for Prairie Life Fitness.  He worked for Prairie Life Fitness for 16+ years as a trainer, fitness director and club manager before taking over as general manager at The WAVE Athletics in July of 2020.  Prairie Life Fitness taught him a lot about what it is like to work for and be taught by a "people first" mentality which parallels his coaching style, and what The WAVE Athletics is all about. 

Coach Shep spends most of his time coaching, and with his two daughters and wife (Melissa).  In his down time he spends it watching coaching videos on hitting and mental training.  

Sarah Rainey is the owner and founder of Invigorating Motion Physical Therapy and co-owner of Wave Fitness, based in Nebraska. A Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) graduate from Belmont University, Sarah brings her expertise and passion to helping individuals of all activity levels achieve optimal movement and performance.

As a former collegiate basketball player at Hastings College, Sarah understands the demands placed on athletes and active individuals. She specializes in full-body movement analysis to identify and address the root causes of pain and injury, aiming to restore function and prevent future issues. Sarah collaborates with fitness professionals to enhance performance and reduce injury risks for her clients, ranging from everyday movers to high-level athletes.  Dr Rainey also has her certification in dry needling to provide faster healing, pain reduction and improve movement. 

When she’s not working with clients, Sarah enjoys life in Ashland with her two children, Kaiden and Anabella. She is dedicated to her community, promoting health, wellness, and active lifestyles for all.

A 2021 graduate of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln with a degree in Nutrition, Exercise, and Health Sciences, Coach Sears brings a strong background in athlete development and performance training. His coaching journey includes experience with youth softball in Kearney, serving as Youth Program Director at the YMCA, and now coaching football at Waverly High School, where he began at the middle school level and currently serves as a varsity assistant.

Since moving to Waverly in 2025, Coach Sears has been eager to get involved in the community and share his passion for helping young athletes grow. He’s dedicated to teaching strong fundamentals, building confidence, and encouraging every participant to be their best.

With over 10 years of my own fitness journey and 4 years of personal fitness experience, I bring a wealth of knowledge and energy to every session. I earned my certification through ACE (American Council on Exercise) and firmly believe fitness is a cornerstone of a healthy, fulfilling lifestyle. Sharing my love for fitness is one of my greatest joys, and I take pride in inspiring and motivating others to embark on and succeed in their fitness journeys. 

Strength and conditioning coach with 5 years of hands on experience training individuals from all walks of life.I have a genuine desire to help people improve their physical form which tends to help them find more enjoyment in their lives. Being able to move your body how you want to, when you want to (movement freedom) is a powerful tool when it comes to quality of life. I became a trainer after training with Ben Patrick (@kneesovertoesguy) and learning the skills that led me to be able to fix my own knee problem that I avoided for a decade. Now I want to share my knowledge with others and help them reach their goals. Born and raised here in Waverly. ATG L1 Certified CoachNASM-CPT

Griffin Everitt was a student-athlete who played baseball at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. He majored in Sports Media and Communication. His honors include being named CSC Academic All-District in 2023, Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2022, and earning Academic All-Big Ten recognition in 2022 and 2023. He was also a consistent presence on the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll and a member of the 2021 NCAA All-Fayetteville Region Team.

Everitt’s athletic career at Nebraska spanned three impactful seasons. In 2023, he competed in 36 games, hitting .233 with four home runs and 16 RBIs, including standout performances against Northern Colorado and No. 23 Maryland. In 2022, he started all 53 games, posting a .291 average with eight home runs and tying for the team-high with 12 doubles. His season highlights included a walk-off double in the home opener against Omaha and two four-hit games. During the 2021 season, Everitt hit .287 over 37 games, with six doubles, three home runs, and 21 RBIs, with memorable performances against Northwestern and Ohio State.

Before Nebraska, Everitt honed his skills at Kansas City Kansas Community College, where he earned JBB first-team All-America honors in 2020 after batting .483 with six home runs in a shortened season. A standout at Lincoln Southwest High School, he also earned academic all-conference honors.

Griffin is currently playing professionally with the Lincoln Saltdogs.

Born and raised in Lincoln Nebraska. Graduated from Lincoln Southwest in 2018. Went to a juco out (Southeast Community College). After that, went to a mid- major Division 1 school (University of Northern Colorado). Graduated from Northern Colorado with a major in Communications and a minor in Sports Exercise Science.

As far as coaching experience, I have coached 3 summer ball legion teams, and I help out with the baseball staff at Norris high school during the winter and spring.

I offer a solid hitting approach, bat path adjustments, timing, rhythm, and a good mental approach. 

Brennan Miller is a standout baseball player from Waverly and currently pitches for Iowa Western Community College. A 6’5” right-handed pitcher and utility player, Brennan earned First Team All-State honors in Class B and Second Team Super State recognition during his senior season at Waverly High School. He helped lead Waverly to the EMC Conference Championship while posting a dominant 0.86 ERA over 48.2 innings and setting the school record for wins in a season.

Known for his strong presence on the mound and athletic versatility, Brennan has continued to impress at Iowa Western with a fastball reaching 90 mph and a strong freshman campaign on the mound. In his early collegiate appearances, he recorded a 2.92 ERA with 17 strikeouts in just over 12 innings pitched

Off the field, Brennan is recognized for his work ethic and leadership, earning four years on the Honor Roll while competing in both baseball and basketball at Waverly High School.

Once upon a time, there was a 5-year-old girl who lived in Texas. One day, she was given a softball, and her life changed forever. That little girl fell in love with the game and craved to be in between the foul lines. By the age of 10, her attention was pulled to the mound. She was so interested in this position that she started her own pitching career. Passing through many years of blood sweat and tears, she was able to create memories and wonderful learning opportunities. She ended up playing at many different levels. From pitching for The Woodlands High School to playing for The University of Nebraska as a D1 athlete. 

Once her own playing career almost ended, she couldn’t stay away from the game. Continuing her love and passion, she decided to be a coach. This ended up opening many doors for her. She was able to move out to Singapore and help grow the game of softball on that side of the world. Once that journey was over, she was offered a position to help coach the Millard North High school softball team. She was able to coach two seasons for the Mustangs until she had another calling to be a full-time Elementary teacher. She had to put a halt to being a full-time coach, but she still longs to be a part of the softball world. If you haven’t figured out who that little girl was, it was me. Hi! I’m Caitlin Bartsch, I have been welcomed into The Wave family to help with pitching lessons and live hitting sessions. I am happy to be a part of The Wave family and would love for you to join us!

Ava Bredwell, hailing from Shawnee, Kansas, concluded an outstanding four-year career as Nebraska’s go-to catcher—known for her consistency, leadership, and clutch performances. She burst onto the scene as Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2022, becoming the first Husker freshman to earn that honor since 1995. Each season, she raised her game: earning NFCA Third‑Team All‑Midwest Region honors in 2024 and a spot on the 2025 Big Ten All‑Tournament Team for her postseason heroics.

Ava’s excellence extended beyond the field. She earned her psychology degree in May 2025, earning numerous academic distinctions along the way—including CSC Academic All‑District, the Nebraska Silver Academic Medallion, Academic All‑Big Ten honors, and multiple scholar-athlete recognitions.

Post-college, Ava signed a professional contract with the New York Rise of the AFP. By the end of her Husker tenure, she had compiled a .296 batting average, 18 home runs, 88 RBIs, 31 doubles, 125 runs scored, 986 putouts, and a .991 fielding percentage—numbers that shine a light on her well-rounded excellence.

Ava is now offering both hitting and catching lessons at The Wave for the youth softball players in our community.

Kaylei Denison, a sophomore pitcher at Concordia University, Nebraska, plays a pivotal role for the Bulldogs. Standing at 5‑7 and majoring in psychology, Denison graduated from Waverly High School, where she earned all-conference recognition and lettered all four years. During her freshman season in 2024, she appeared in 18 games (12 starts), finishing with a 1–10 record and a 7.86 ERA over 49 innings pitched while striking out 24 batters. Despite the challenges of her first collegiate season, her early contributions laid the groundwork for her development in the program. Off the field, Kaylei enjoys building Legos, sleeping, eating—sweetening her collegiate journey with down-to-earth hobbies and a close-knit family life as the daughter of Darin Denison and Angie Wolf with five younger siblings.

A native Nebraskan, born and raised in Lincoln. I have 30+ years of softball experience as a player, coach, umpire and parent. These experiences are invaluable and I look forward to sharing my knowledge with anyone who wants to learn and grow, not just athletically, but in all aspects of life. Ive been blessed with 2 daughters and when I’m not on the diamond, I enjoy kayaking, running and serving others. My walk with Jesus is the most important thing in my life because without him I wouldn’t be who I am today. My priority in life is to use the gifts and talents He gave me to glorify His name.

Playing career: Lincoln Northeast HS (Varsity) 1998-2002 University of Nebraska-Lincoln 2002-2006 (BIG XII Champions 2004)

Coaching Career: Concordia University (NAIA) 2006-2008 (GPAC Champions 2008) Georgia College & State University (DII) 2008-2010 Kearney High School (Head JV Coach) 2012-2014.

I am a former pitcher for the Nebraska Wesleyan softball team and I am currently an assistant coach on their team as a pitching coach.

I lettered four years with the Prairie Wolves and appeared in 75 games and I am 6th all-time in school history in appearances.

I currently am in my fourth year as head coach for Prodigy Easton.

Alexis Shepherd is a 2024 graduate of Waverly High School, where she was a four-year varsity player. During her high school career, she helped lead Waverly to the state tournament in both her junior and senior seasons, including the program’s first state appearance since 2004 during her junior year.

Alexis currently attends Midland University, where she competes on the softball team while pursuing a degree in elementary education. During her first two seasons at Midland, the team qualified for the national tournament in both 2025 and 2026. In 2025, Midland advanced to the NAIA Softball World Series.

In addition to her collegiate career, Alexis provides private softball lessons during school breaks and serves as an assistant coach for the NE Wave 13U program.