Spartan alums Liz McCloskey and Katie Leigh return to lead the program.

Life never moves the way you think it will.

Liz McCloskey and Katie Leigh never thought “in a million years” that either one would be back at their alma mater, coaching the very team they played for as a high school students.

But when McCloskey got the offer from Bainbridge Island athletic director Neal White, she didn’t hesitate to accept – or to call Leigh and get her in on the action.

McCloskey is the latest coach to come revolving through the program’s door, but she and Leigh are planning to stick around for a while.

“It’ll be a good place to establish ourselves as individuals and in the community among parents and our players,” said McCloskey, BHS class of 1999. “It’s an honor to me, in the fact that Neal White called to offer me the position.”

Leigh (BHS 2000) said, “Both of us were on the same train of thought that we both would have loved to (coach), but we thought the only way that you could coach here was to be a teacher, that that was the ‘in’ you had to have. I want to do this as long as I can. It makes me proud to be back here.”

The two inherit a young but talented team. The Spartans, who finished second to their rival Bishop Blanchet at 17-8 in the Metro League Mountain Division and made it to the district playoffs, lost seven players to graduation but welcome back four returning starters and 12 first-year varsity athletes.

Three of those starters – junior third baseman Marci Morford, senior shortstop Amanda Szarzynski and senior outfielder Cassandra Richardson – are co-captains and have high expectations for this season.

“I feel that we’ll be really strong this year,” Szarzynski said. “We’ll only be losing two players this year, and we have some strong hitters. I think we’ll make it beyond districts.”

“I don’t even feel it’s like that much of a rebuilding year,” Morford said. “I feel like we’re going to do really well this season. We have an excellent starting lineup.”

The Spartan defense is well built, as the infield will be anchored by Morford and Szarzynski along with second baseman Chelsea Baker and first baseman Stephanie Wagner. Richardson will be in the outfield along with sophomore center fielder Kelcee Azure.

The main concerns for the team will be pitching and depth. McCloskey said freshman Karen Robinson will be her main starter, but juniors Anna Lyons and Chelsea Hansen, along with Azure, will be expected to pitch as well.

Also, with no JV team this year – there wasn’t enough interest to field a team – the Spartans will be hard pressed to fill in spots if people go down.

The same could be said of the coaching position. After Steve Nelson resigned last year, McCloskey and Leigh were hired just three weeks before the start of the season, and both have had to learn on the job. Their first meeting with the team was a week after they were hired, and the first practice was the week after that.

“She (McCloskey) and Katie are amazing,” Morford said. “They’re really good coaches and they make it fun and they work us hard. I’m really impressed with them. They’re amazing.”

“It’s nice to have a girl coach this year,” Szarsynski said. “As much as I love and miss Steve, they’ve stepped up and did a great job.”

McCloskey and Leigh are dedicated to making their mark with the girls this year.

“From Katie’s and my perspective, we are totally here to help them in any way we can,” McCloskey said.

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Fastpitch

March 25 vs. Nathan Hale, 3:30

March 28 at Rainier Beach, 3:30

March 30 vs. Lakeside, 3:30

April 1 at Lakeside, 3:30

April 11 vs. North Kitsap, 3:30

April 13 at Olympic, 3:30

April 15 at NK, 3:30

April 18 vs. Chief Sealth, 4

April 20 vs. Holy Names, 4

April 22 at Holy Names (Lower Woodland), 3:30

April 25 vs. West Seattle, 4

April 27 vs. Blanchet, 4

April 29 at Blanchet (Lower Woodland), 3:30

May 2 at Cleveland, 3:30

May 4 vs. Eastside Catholic, 4

May 6 at Eastside Catholic (at Newport Hills), 3:30

May 9 at Seattle Prep, 3:30

May 11 vs. Seattle Prep, 4

May 13 at Ingraham, 3:30