Beyond High School Softball, Oregon Titans Keep Focus On Family And The Future

How does longtime softball coach and President of the Oregon Titans, Carlos Carapinha, prepare for the upcoming summer season? By stepping up to the plate and swinging away.

With the high school softball season and the 2024-25 school year drawing to a close, West Albany High School Kodi Carapinha (2026) shifts her focus to suiting up for the Oregon Titans this summer. / SBLive Sports

There may come a time when Carlos Carapinha might feel like a piece of him is missing. 

No more softball games. No more practices. No more road trips. No more late nights, early mornings, and long weekends of being the President of the Oregon Titans. No more special father and daughter chats on the way to the game. That’s what happens to lifers who have spent 35 years studying, playing, and coaching the game in hopes of nurturing young athletes to become better versions of themselves on the field, in the classroom, and within their communities. Carlos has done that for a lot of kids in Salem, Oregon and surrounding areas. 

He’s done that and so much more for his own kids.

“This season will be emotional for sure. This summer will be my last year coaching my daughter Kylie’s travel team following her freshman year catching at Clackamas Community College and also my daughter Kodi’s last high school season at West Albany High School,” longtime softball coach Carlos Carapinha told High School on SI. 

“Time has gone so fast. I'm going to miss those talks on the way to sporting events, long weekend trips, and forming a bond with my daughters. I will be able to coach Kodi for two more summers still, so I will be soaking that time up as much as I can.”

Looking forward to a competitive 2025 season, Coach Carapinha (left) helped the Oregon Titans U18 fastpitch softball team add another title to their trophy case in Salem, Oregon last season. / Oregon Titans

Growing up in San Jose, California, Carlos fell in love with the game of baseball while playing Little League, Babe Ruth, and eventually high school at West Albany. Thanks to the encouragement of his parents, Auzenda and Gary Smith, and his older sister who played softball for the Bulldogs, Carlos became a student of the game. His teachers: watching those 90’s Oakland A’s teams’ featuring the Bash Brothers of Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco, the speed of Ricky Henderson, and the veteran swagger of Dave “Hendu” Henderson.

“These players really inspired me to play the game and getting to meet some of them as a kid in the Bay Area was even more inspiring. But the one coach that helped me the most in my playing career was Coach Rich Sipe at West Albany. Moving up from California to Oregon when I was 13-years old was a big change for me and I struggled really bad mentally. He helped me through that.”

Carlos never forgot that. It became a catalyst to him wanting to one day become a coach and strive to give back to kids – and his own children – in the community through the game. This year, the Oregon Titans turn 16 years old. Founded by Rick Muranaka in 2009, the youth softball travel program serving Salem and Albany, Oregon is rooted in player development and quickly became one of the premiere organizations within the area for fastpitch softball. After Muranaka’s departure in 2018, the Titans slowly got smaller and became less competitive.

“I saw what used to be a great youth program getting ready to close its doors in 2023 and decided to step up and take over. Just after two years, our program has grown to 6 teams aging from 10u-18u. I have a great board and coaching staff including Rick, who has come back to coach his 14 year old daughter alongside with his oldest daughter who was one of the reasons he started the Titans back in the day.“ 

“You have to make it about the players.”

- Coach Carlos Carapinha

Not only did he step up to the plate, but a quick glimpse of former Titans who moved on to play college softball shows that the organization keeps swinging for the fences under Carapinha’s leadership.  Anna Jardin (pitcher, Portland State), Jena Hopkins (infield, Willamette University),  Megan Smith (outfield, Carleton University), Reagan Rasmussen (infield, Corban University), Miranda Scovill (pitcher, Corban University), Kate Kofstad, (infield, Carroll College), Kylie Carapinha (catcher, Clackamas Community), Addie McArthur (outfield, Clackamas Community), Brylie Parks (outfield, Clackamas Community), Taylor Thompson (infield, Clackamas Community), Atianna Vainuku-Jhonson (infield, Clackamas Community), Kenzie West (pitcher, Clackamas Community), and Kassidy Elkins (pitcher, Iowa Lake College) are all notable former Titans. 

Four more players are soon to join that list this year with Seniors Bailey Sandquist (catcher/infield, Eastern Oregon University) Lydia Klumper (pitcher/infield, Clackamas Community), Maggis Pizano (infield, Oregon Tech), and Megan Trissel (firstbase, Chemeketa Community College) all committed to play college softball. Will Kodi Carapinha be adding her name to that list by next year at this time?  

A second-generation Bulldog, the Junior pitcher and first baseman for West Albany notched a number of remarkable outings this season by striking out a season-high10 batters in a game against Grants Pass. She followed up the performance with a dominating showing versus Crescent Valley where Kodi struck out seven hitters in four innings while also going 4-5 at the plate with two home runs and eight runs batted in the Bulldogs’ 24-7 victory. 

Entering her third year with the Oregon Titans, West Albany High's Kodi Carapinha is making a name for herself on the mound and at the plate. / Oregon Titans

“This season has gone pretty well for me at West Albany. Fielding wise I've done really well and I’ve gained confidence at the plate and it’s really showed. As soon as the high school season is done, the club focus begins,” said Kodi, who has played for the Titans for two years and is currently undeclared. 

What awaits this summer is a strict diet of softball games, camps, exposure tournaments, and beginning the recruiting process. That goes for dad and daughter alike. Until then, Kodi cherishes the moments she has with the man who has guided her by the hand from taking dance classes to soaking up the sun of the softball diamond. All of those pitching lessons and hitting sessions are paying off along with some intense crossfit classes. Dedicated to her academics and athletics, Kodi has aspirations of being a doctor one day. 

“Playing with my dad has helped me in many ways. When I was younger I definitely didn’t enjoy it as much as I do now. I know my dad has my best interest and wants me to grow just as much as I do. With that he’s helped my confidence grow, while making it fun by giving me this amazing opportunity. I’ve learned from him that dedication, discipline and commitment will win games for you, whether that’s putting in work at home or going all out at practice,” Kodi shared. 

“The work will be shown on the field. My main goal is to enjoy every chance I get.”

Between his role as President of the Oregon Titans, maintaining a career at Roberson Albany Ford, and the responsibilities of parenthood, Carlos knows that his family comes first and last. 

He wouldn’t want it any other way. 

“The phrase you hear about how, “it takes a village to raise a child”, that hits the nail on the head. I have four kids (Marlie Davidson-Carapinha 19, Kylie Carapinha 19, Kodi Carapinha 17, Jacob Carapinha 15) and a wonderful wife, Deven, that supports me. I spent 13 years in the Oregon Army National Guard and my parents, sister, and brother- in-law all helped us a lot with our kids when I was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011-2012 with the 1186MP Company out of Salem, where I was a motor pool Sergeant and a TC commander for the QRF team in Kabul. We actually played stick ball a lot and also tossed the football around during our downtime. I started coaching when I could. My oldest was 8-years years old at that time. Before Covid-19, we had all four kids playing – two kids in softball, two in volleyball, one in cheer, one in football, baseball, wrestling and two in basketball – so it was a divide and conquer approach. Thankfully, Roberson Albany Ford has been one of my biggest supporters when it comes to coaching sports. Travel sports takes us all over the United States with our furthest destination so far being Chicago. I use every ounce of vacation time around my kids' sports.”

With upcoming summer travel softball tryouts and the season right around the corner in Oregon Carlos knows this season will be just as competitive as the last for the Titans. 

Known for helping players train, develop, and move on to play college softball, the Oregon Titans turn 16 years old this year. / Oregon Titans

“We have a lot of talent in our high schools because of our local travel ball teams. With the local high school teams that seem to be dominant in the area, you will see solid programs and coaches that also coach travel ball in Marion County and Linn County. I think our schools would be more competitive if the talent was not spread so thin. Most of your local kids are part of these travel ball programs, and high schools have become way more competitive from when I was kid,” explained Caraphina, who is in the process of opening the C&C Bat Factory in Albany. 

When asked what advice he’d give to anyone looking to be involved in forming and shaping a youth softball organization like he has the Oregon Titans, Carlos spoke from the heart. 

“You have to be open minded about different coaching styles. Bring in a good support system with knowledgeable coaches,” he added.

“You have to make it about the players.”

Once a coach, always a coach.