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Tegtmeier named new MCHS softball coach

10/4/2019

By Dan Manley
Advocate Sports Editor

April Tegtmeier doesn’t have much of a coaching resume.
She’s just 27 years of age and has spent most of her time since graduation from Estill County High School back in 2011 in a college classroom.

But nobody should question her knowledge of the game of softball and how one should coach to be successful.

She was not only an all-state performer for the Lady Engineers, she also played for one of the game’s top coaches in Shirley Beard, who retired at the end of this past season after directing her team to another 14th Region championship.

Tegtmeier is ready to see if she can put her knowledge and experiences to work as a coach and Montgomery County is giving her the opportunity.
Tegtmeier did help Coach Beard this past season at Estill County, so she has actually played in and coached in the Kentucky State High School Softball Tournament.

In fact, she played in the state tournament four times.
April Hall is her maiden name and she became one of Kentucky’s top centerfielders.

“Coach Beard was great to play for,” Tegtmeier explained. “Tough, fair, good at fundamentals, someone that players could communicate with, she was all of those things and more.”

Tegtmeier has degrees in early childhood education and institutional leadership and works throughout the Montgomery County system to help teachers with curriculum and other potential problem areas.
As for coaching softball, she says her job is multi-faceted.

“Helping players develop good character traits and accept responsibility is a factor,” she said. “I’ll be trying to help the players become ready for the next level of life and to try and give as many of them as possible a chance to play softball at the next level if that’s their goal.”

Tegtmeier succeeds Robert McCoy who held the post for three seasons, won a 40th District title and finished as a runner-up on another occasion and twice advanced to the regional semifinals with his teams.

“So much of coaching at this level, I think, is adapting to the players that you have to work with and adjusting the style of play to their strengths,” she said. “We’ll concentrate a lot on defense and try to be as good as we can be at supporting our pitchers.”

The Lady Indians will open the season March 16 at Lexington Henry Clay.
“The schedule was already in place and I think it’s a good one for where we are right now,” Tegtmeier said. “I believe in challenging yourself as much as you can without being ridiculous.”

The new coach is married to Kevin Tegtmeier, program director for the Mt. Sterling-Montgomery County Parks and Recreation Dept.