Monday, April 9, 2007

New Kids On The Block

Familiar faces return to the softball diamond this spring

By Ed Letsinger

When the Mount Notre Dame fast-pitch team takes to the field this spring chances are folks will likely recognize a couple of the new coaches in the Cougars’ dugout.  That’s because it was only a few years ago that they were competing themselves as players on the Cincinnati prep scene.

Former standouts Jackie Cornelius of Oak Hills along with Stephanie Salas of McAuley have taken over the reigns of the Mount Notre Dame program, along with the help of Cornelius' father, Rick.

Cornelius and Salas graduated from high school in 2001 after enjoying successful careers filled with all-league and all-city honors.  Cornelius went on to play at Cleveland State University at catcher while Salas took her game to Wright State University before graduating in ’06.

Familiarity is nothing new.  Both played against each other growing up and also in college.  Ironically, a Cornelius walk-off home run one season led Cleveland State to a win over Wright State.  The next season Salas turned the tables in the exact same manner.

Cornelius, now a teacher at Three Rivers Elementary who will serve as head coach, already has considerable coaching experience both at home and abroad.  She has conducted numerous fast-pitch clinics and played and coached for the Austrian National team leading them to a record of 25-4.  This past summer she played for the Michigan Ice, a first-year team in the national pro fast-pitch league.

Together with Salas, who will be head assistant, the pair aims to turn around a Cougars’ program that has struggled lately.

“I’m extremely proud of our senior class.  They’ve done such a great job and are all great leaders,” says Cornelius of the re-building process to date.  Those senior players include pitchers Lyndsay Montour and Asgley Meyer, catcher Kristen Welker and outfielder Kelly Hoye.  “We have a very talented ball club and just need to put things together now.  But it will be up to the seniors to lead the team going forward,” Cornelius says.