In need of a head varsity softball coach, Athletic Director John Theobald filled the coaching vacancy by hiring Melissa Sommerfeld to fill coach Tim Cerutti’s former position.
Athletic Director John Theobald is the one who hired Sommerfeld to put her stamp on the program, but Cerruti put his own stamp on it that will be appreciated.
“We have been incredibly fortunate to have Coach Cerruti head our program the last several years,” Theobald said. “I think it’s going to be a change. He did so much for us. There’s some shoes to fill.”
The transition to Sommerfeld will be aided by Cerruti’s assistance.
“I have had the honor of knowing Coach Cerutti for many years,” Sommerfeld said. “I had the opportunity to play one year of high school softball with his daughter. As he looked on to retirement, we talked a lot about the opportunity to possibly coach at Central High. It was Coach Cerutti that put my name on the radar. It was an honor to know that he believed that I should be the next coach to continue his dream for the program.”
Coach Cerruti helped by putting in a recommendation for Sommerfeld, but her playing and coaching resume speaks for itself.
Sommerfeld played softball from little league to college. In high school, she played at Parkway South, where, during her senior year, she broke the record for the most hits in a single season and had the second highest batting average in South history. After her decorated career at South, she continued her playing career at Quincy University in Illinois. At Quincy she started all 4 years, playing freshman year as DH, and the following three as a utility player, capable of playing every position in the field.
For the past two years, Sommerfeld has been the head JV Softball coach at Parkway South. Currently, Sommerfeld is a middle school English teacher at Central Middle.
“Throughout the last two years, Parkway Central has become my family and I realized that I wanted to create the opportunities I had as a student athlete with student athletes in my new community,” Sommerfeld said.
While Sommerfeld is excited about her new opportunity, she is also ready to get to work and put her stamp on the softball program.
“My hope for the Parkway Central softball team is to build a winning team and strong competitors across the area,” Sommerfeld said. “Like everyone, I love to win – however, high school sports is more than winning and losing, it is about preparing each student athlete for their future and giving all players a place to belong. Softball always gave me a place to belong, it not only helped me make friends but it also helped me become a stronger student and a better person. I hope to instill qualities in each of my players that will help them be successful in their futures.”
Players whom Sommerfeld will soon be coaching are excited about the future.
“I think it’s good for the team,” sophomore pitcher and outfielder Elena Hipp said. “It’s good to have a girl coach. They know more about softball and they are easier to connect with.”
Theobald echoed Hipp’s statement.
“Having a female coach coaching a female sport I think is just big and brings about a different dynamic and different enthusiasm to the program,” Theobald said.
