Board of Directors
RUTH RODGERS - President / Communications Coordinator
Being a fifth-generation Coloradan has influenced and inspired many of Ruth’s activities and passions. Growing up in the mountains near her ancestors’ homesteads, she was very ‘outdoorsy’ and active, becoming keenly aware of differing opportunities and expectations for males vs. females and how those injustices made her feel. Even though she was in leg braces for much of her childhood, Ruth learned to persist and prevail, and to enjoy defying the odds, including exploring the mountains and joining her high school’s volleyball and track teams. While interested in softball, due to living so far from the leagues in town, she opted to continue music lessons instead, but still riding horses and motorcycles.
Ruth attended Colorado State University where she earned a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies, and later her teaching license with multiple endorsements. She taught middle school English/Language Arts, Social Studies, Vocal Music, and honors classes. Concurrently, she coached track and volleyball, often running with the teams and even coaching an unbeaten season. At the high school level, she taught English and Gifted Seminars, developed an honors program, and enjoyed accompanying many school musicals. After earning her Masters in Gifted Education from the University of Northern Colorado, she developed gifted programming and support for gifted students and their parents, and professional development.
Health issues and injuries had put a damper on Ruth’s athletic activities until she and her wife heard about a senior women’s softball team coached by a friend and colleague, Gail Klock. Knowing the participants were older women, Ruth felt 2019 could be the time to resume team sports. Now the Colorado Wildfire is a big part of their lives and social circle.
Ruth also enjoys writing, music, animals, volunteering, politics, pickle ball, a Disney obsession, and this wonderful state of Colorado.
FRAN SIMON - Vice President / Community Engagement / Fundraising / Media Coordinator / 50s Team Manager
Fran grew up in Emerson, NJ playing stickball with the boys and started playing softball when she was in 3rd grade. She played softball, volleyball, and basketball (scored 1,000+ points before the 3-point line) in high school and was recruited to play college basketball. Fran got her B.A. in Sociology and Social Relations (Social Psychology, Sociology, and Cultural Anthropology) from Cornell University where she played varsity basketball her freshman year and club softball the next 3 years (softball became varsity the year after she graduated). She received her M.A. in Sociology while in the PhD program at Stanford University where she played intramural everything (e.g., inner tube water polo).
Fran continued to play on rec basketball (Girlz-N-The-Hoop) and slow pitch softball teams (Ten Girls Out, Slam Sisters) in the Bay Area and Colorado throughout her adult life. When she was 47, Fran was thrilled to discover senior slow pitch softball after not faring so well in fastpitch softball in her mid-40’s! She practiced with the club and couldn’t wait to form a 50’s team in 2019 when she became of age. Fran loves promoting the Colorado Wildfire and is so inspired by her more “mature” teammates! When she is not playing softball, Fran is managing her market research and analytics business or spending time with her wife and their 15-year-old son.
ANN NOBLE - Treasurer / Financial Coordinator
Ann Noble’s love of baseball started when she began playing with the Fort Wayne Junior Girls Baseball League at twelve. She was the starting second baseman for her team, the Chicks. Soon she moved to third base because, although she was one of the youngest on the team, she could throw to third base in the air. When she switched to catching, she was the umpire’s choice MVP for her team. In high school, she was the female county champion in women’s singles ping pong. In the mid-sixties, she swam on her college’s swim team and played on the basketball team.
After accepting a job as a lawyer for the U.S. Department of Labor, Ann joined the Department’s co-ed softball team and eventually moved to Denver. She joined a fast pitch women’s softball team, playing shortstop, catcher, and pitcher. Following the demise of that team, Ann and her husband started a co-ed softball team where one year (before the line was drawn in the outfield to prevent the outfielders from playing in when women batted) she was the leading home run hitter because she could hit over the outfielders’ heads; once the line was drawn, she no longer had that advantage and went back to just being an average batter.
One day in 2019, while listening to Colorado Public Radio, Ann heard about the Colorado Peaches softball team; she tracked them down and joined. By then, however, she had had a knee replaced and developed heart problems; nevertheless, they took her in and cheered her on when she tried to run to first base the few times she connected with the ball! She’s a proud member of the newly re-named team, the Colorado Wildfire, a terrific and supportive team.
GLENDA SINKS - Board Secretary / At-Large Member
Growing up in Colorado, Glenda Sinks attended Englewood High School before Title IX, so her only softball experience as a teen was with the summer city league against women in their 20s and 30s. (The high schoolers lost every game.) When she was in her 30s, she pitched in a non-competitive league, but played only a couple of seasons. Then, decades later and two hip replacements behind her, she picked up the game again after she retired from teaching. She’s been with the team since 2019, and continues to love the fitness aspect, the fun times, and the friends she’s made on the team. To her, the camaraderie on the Colorado Wildfire confirms that she’s found her tribe.
In addition to playing in the dirt on the softball field, Glenda also enjoys working in her garden growing vegetables and flowers. Reading, traveling, and pickle ball are other leisure activities. It’s not all fun and games for her, however. As a newly elected Lakewood City Councilor, she spends much of her time working on issues that will benefit all Lakewood residents. With these pursuits and her loving family, Glenda knows that life is, indeed, good.
JERI SAMPSON - Membership Coordinator
Jeri Sampson grew up in West Des Moines, Iowa. She played baseball with the neighborhood kids starting at about age 7, and joined a girls’ fast pitch softball team (the Gladiolas!) in 1967. Jeri played fast pitch through high school, but then in college, she joined a slow pitch team and never looked back. From 1979 through 2014, she played on such famous beer league teams as "Lesser of Two Evils", "Burke's Cut-ups", and "Moms Gone Bad". Jeri thought her softball career had ended a few years ago, but in 2020 she was convinced to give it another try -- and is now so very happy to be a member of the Colorado Wildfire!
Jeri earned a BS in Computer Science from Iowa State University and spent 40 years as a programmer before retiring in 2019. If anyone has questions about mainframe programming or IBM's print architecture, you can ask Jeri -- but she might not remember! Besides softball, Jeri enjoys spending time with her grandkids, hiking, riding her e-bike, playing the ukulele and participating in the Rocky Mountain Ukulele Orchestra, playing pickle ball, and volunteering. Jeri and her husband, Jerry, have two daughters, one son-in-law, two grandchildren, and a cat.
RENIE ALLEN - Operations Coordinator / Equipment / First Aid
Renie Allen, a Denver native and fifth-generation Coloradan, spent her formative years greatly influenced by her father, teachers, athletic uncles, and her brothers. She always enjoyed learning, excelling in school, and taking on any athletic challenge that presented itself. Even though she could run, pass, catch, or hit, as well as many boys could, the only role for her at football games was to hold the down markers. Without the benefits of Title IX, only individual, non-contact sports were being offered in schools for girls, and running track created some meaningful experiences.
Renie completed her Mathematics degree and teaching certification/licensure at the University of Denver. After her college years, Renie remained active in soccer, volleyball, basketball, running, etc.
During Renie’s 31 years of teaching math, she also coached volleyball, track and field, and basketball, and also taught Yearbook and Leadership. Renie made it one of her missions to provide student-athletes of both sexes with all the positive experiences she could.
After retiring, Renie enjoyed working for a landscaper and at a garden center. Later, she learned of a senior women’s softball team through a friend and colleague, Gail Klock. Getting to be out on the field with passionate teammates reminded her of right where she’d wanted to be all through childhood. Renie stays busy taking care of her two great nieces, working in her yard, playing softball and pickleball, riding her e-bike, and enjoying all Colorado has to offer.
BETSY ANDERSON - Team Managers Coordinator / 70s Team Manager
Betsy Anderson grew up as an Episcopalian priest‘s oldest daughter well before Title IX. She attended school in the diverse steel town of Gary, Indiana, and enjoyed summers competing with mostly boy cousins on eastern shores of Lake Michigan. Her grandfather gave her first mitt when she was about 8. She was never still, always swimming or playing football, baseball, and even 2-dribble-pass basketball. She certainly provided sermon material for her dad and headaches for her mom!
Managing younger siblings and cousins helped prepare her for her 46-year teaching career, half of that with learning-disabled students…loving every kid-filled moment!
In 2018, Betsy was invited by a friend to help a softball team practice, but was warned that she wasn’t old enough to play on the team…really?!? Thank goodness the team grew, so she could play. She’s still playing and learning between tennis and pickle ball. (She has not only participated in senior games in softball but also in pickle ball.)
She and her husband, Clyde, recently celebrated their 50th anniversary. They have three great kids and two wonderful grandchildren. Betsy has been seriously involved in politics since the late 60’s and fights aging every day. She loves the camaraderie, support, and community the Wildfire provides.
CINDY NIELSEN - At-Large Member
Cindy Nielsen grew up in northern Illinois and Indiana during the 1950s and 1960s. During this time, sports for girls were very limited (no Title IX). However, she loved playing baseball with the neighborhood boys, and she soon became as good as they were. Her passion for the sport grew, perhaps due to the fact that her grandfather played semi-pro ball…so apparently it was in her genes!
In college at Colorado State University, Cindy played softball and field hockey, however, there still weren't women varsity teams. Here she met Gail Klock who greatly influenced women’s athletics in Colorado and other locations, and did much to guide, build, train, mentor, and inspire our team before this board of directors was created. Cindy graduated from CSU with a degree in Physical Education and a minor in Biological Science. Through the years, she coached and held several positions with Jeffco Schools, and before retirement, taught elementary math to learning-disabled students.
As an adult, Cindy played softball and soccer on women's teams, but finally gave up soccer at the age of 63. Wanting to stay active, she started playing senior women's basketball. It was fun but joining this team in 2017, she found playing senior slowpitch softball to be more enjoyable and rewarding.
Cindy also enjoyed volunteering for Table Mountain Soccer Association and was on their board for many years while her three children were playing. Through her guidance, competitive teams were added to the association, and she served as head of the referees for the club. While her son attended Golden High School, she formed the boys swim team booster club. Also meaningful to her have been her experiences volunteering for Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue where she fostered and adopted dogs for them, many of which had special needs.
Now, with three kids all grown, she and her husband are the proud grandparents of six grandkids, ages 21 to almost 2! Spending time with them and watching many of their sporting events has kept her busy and made her life full!
JENNIE McLAUGHLIN - Website Manager / 50s Team Manager
Jennie was born and raised in Boulder, CO where she started playing fast pitch girls softball around age 9. She played softball, soccer, basketball, volleyball and track & field in middle school, and softball and marching band in high school. She was also a competitive piano player through high school, earning many competition ribbons and trophies.
She graduated from Colorado State University and received a Masters in Computer Information Technology from Regis University. Her career in small business website architecture, development and administration allows her the flexibility to raise her teenaged daughters, travel with her husband and pursue her love of sports and recreation.
As an adult Jennie began playing on numerous women’s and co-ed slow pitch softball teams and was a catcher in adult women’s baseball for a few years. She has recently added Boulder Blues coed senior softball, Colorado Wildfire, and volleyball into the mix, and regularly attends out-of-state tournaments. She is excited to be a part of the Colorado Wildfire, playing with women of such diverse ages, abilities and backgrounds. The amount of friends and contact made in the past couple of years is staggering!
Outside of softball, Jennie has started a non-profit with a few friends — Old Soul Canine Rescue (they rescue, foster and adopt senior dogs). She spent time on the board of Therapy Dogs of Boulder County, and continues to work as a therapy dog handler with her Pyrenees mix, Gracie. For the last 6 years she has also served as the president of the PTA at her daughters’ middle/high school.
SHEILA GRAHAM - Head Coach
Sheila is a Colorado native and grew up in Lakewood where she continues to enjoy a wonderful life with her partner, Kathy and dogs Brody and Packer, after purchasing her family home which her dad and his close friend built in 1950. Her childhood was filled with so many opportunities to enjoy her many pursuits. Tagging after her older brother and his friends playing baseball, football, soccer, pole-vaulting and track, taught Sheila how to compete and keep up with the boys in the neighborhood. As long as she “held her own” the boys let her join up with their teams. At the age of nine, Sheila began playing fast-pitch softball and her dad, a sports enthusiast himself, worked with her to develop skills and strategies of the game. He also encouraged her to begin golf, which Sheila enjoys to this day. Sheila’s mom and dad also supported her love of writing, biking, reading, playing the piano and saxophone and a bit of guitar, and marching band and orchestra in high school. Whatever new challenge presented itself, Sheila took it on with gusto!
Although there were no softball teams at the high school, Sheila was a varsity basketball player and was recognized as an All-Jeffco defender and scorer during her junior and senior years. She continued to play fast-pitch softball every year for the Jefferson County Softball Association where she pitched and played short-stop and catcher. Her team won the State Championship her senior year and attended tournaments throughout Colorado.
Sheila attended the University of Northern Colorado where she earned a master’s degree in Speech/Language Pathology with endorsements in Learning and Emotional Disabilities. Sheila was a “walk-on” varsity softball player for UNC where she pitched and played short-stop. She participated in the World Series Softball Games in Omaha Nebraska and her continued love for the game grew even more. Sheila began coaching in the Jeffco Softball League in the summers and upon graduating from UNC, continued to play fast pitch and some slow-pitch as well.
Sheila began her career as a Special Education teacher in Littleton, Colorado for two years then spent the next 35 years with the Cherry Creek School District. During that time, she taught middle school students, then became Dean of Students, Coordinator of Student Achievement, Assistant Principal, Principal, Executive Director of Middle Schools, and ended her career as the Assistant Superintendent of the Cherry Creek School District. During her tenure with the schools, Sheila coached middle school basketball, track, and volleyball. She also coached High School softball, track, field hockey and basketball. She continued to play adult fast-pitch softball, soccer, and some slow-pitch.
In 2022 Sheila joined the Wildfire Senior Softball Team after watching the news coverage of the players. What a fantastic experience it has been! Retirement could not be better and more active! The best part is the family-like atmosphere of the team and the relationships and camaraderie that exist. Sheila is honored to play with such diverse and caring women who share their love of the game of softball.