NFCA FRIDAY

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association inducted three of the most successful softball coaches in the sport’s history at a banquet Friday night:  Dr. JoAnne Graf, of Florida State; Margo Jonker, head coach at Central Michigan; and Celeste Knierim, head coach at St Louis Community College, Meremac.

NFCA Release

STARKVILLE , Miss. ñ Florida State coach JoAnne Graf, Central Michiganís Margo Jonker and longtime St. Louis Community College coach Celeste Knierim will be inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

 Graf sits in second place on the NCAA all-time wins chart, winning 1214 games over her 25 years in Tallahassee . She has taken the Seminoles to six Womenís College World Series appearances and is a five-time ACC Coach of the Year.

Graf has built the Florida State program into one of the nation’s elite. The Seminoles have posted winning season every year of her coaching career. She has averaged 50 wins a season in 20 years of fastpitch softball, and has coached 20 All-Americans in her career.

Jonker has won over 800 games at Central Michigan , leading the Chippewas to 10 Mid-American Conference championships and 12 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including the 1987 Womenís College World Series. That season, she was named National Coach of the Year.

Jonker has received MAC Coach of the Year accolades nine times and has won the MAC Tournament nine times, including four of the last five. Every four-year player at CMU has earned at least one championship ring in her career.

Knierim has just completed her 30th season as head coach at St. Louis Community College-Meramec. Having posted over 1,000 wins in her career, she leads the all-time win list among active NJCAA coaches.

Knierim has led the Magic to 13 NJCAA Tournament appearances, and has won 23 MCCAC championships, including streaks of 10 and 11 consecutive titles. She has coached 44 NJCAA All-Americans.

NFCA PRESENTATIONS

The conventioneers were treated Friday to six well-attended presentations, including a standing room only discussion by Mike Candrea, head coach University of Arizona and USA Olympic team head coach, on practice organization.

Other presentations included:

Connie Clark, head coach, University of Texas : defining layers of success for pitchers

Jeff Janssen, peak performance consultant: how to develop responsible and respected team leaders

Sheila Cornell Douty: taking your hitters to the elite level

Linda Wells, head coach, Arizona State and Greek Olympic coach: a checklist for the advanced catcher

Mike Renney, head coach, Canadian Olympic team and Simon Fraser University :  Getting the most out of your athletes; establishing the culture and philosophy of success.

OLYMPIAN PANEL

Lori Sippel, Canadian Olympic team, 1996; Catherine Osterman, 2004 USA Olympic team; Jennifer Brundage, 2000 USA Olympic team, answered questions from the audience as the final session on Friday.

HARRIERS

Michigan coach Carol Hutchins led one of several groups of runners who braved the cold wind Friday to stretch out their muscles after three days of meetings.

End

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