Kate Neely is ready for the next chapter in her life.
After four seasons as softball coach at East Mississippi Community College, Neely is ready to switch gears and to move into another position on campus. EMCC officials are presently taking applications for the softball coaching vacancy and hope to have a new coach in place by mid-July.
“I am really proud of what we have been able to accomplish the last four seasons,” Neely said. “It was a special group of girls. It was a hard-working group of girls. They did everything we asked them to do. Not only am I proud of the success on the field, I am most proud of the academic record. In each of the last two seasons, our GPA (grade-point average) is among the nation’s best.”
Neely resigned as the team’s coach after the season. This fall, she will continue to teach at EMCC and will assume duties as advanced planning coordinator. In that position, Neely will oversee game day activities and numerous staff-faculty functions, student activities, and intramurals.
“Four months ago, I talked to the administration and I told them that while I really liked my job, if any opportunities for advancement presented themselves, I wanted to be considered,” Neely said. “I pretty much got blind-sided because I never thought I would have that opportunity one month later. I was in shock because it all happened so fast.
“I am getting married in August, and I really want the opportunity to start a family. I also want to get started on my doctorate. There was really no way I could do those things and keep up with the demands of coaching. In my new job, I will still have a lot on my plate, but I will also have some down time for family time.”
EMCC went 18-24 this season. In each of Neely’s four seasons as coach, EMCC advanced to the state playoffs. It also won one North Division championship.
“The program had not been to the playoffs since 2002,” Neely said. “To be able to go each season was quite a feat. The next coach will inherit a good situation. I hope they find the right fit because the new coach is going to get a great group of girls that understands what it takes to be successful on this level.”
The softball team’s success mirrors the success of EMCC’s athletic program. President Dr. Rick Young has overseen numerous facility upgrades that have helped the school’s student-athletes compete with the nation’s best.
“You can not have a more sports-supportive administration than we have,” Neely said. “They back their student-athletes 100 percent. It is all about academics first. We may be the only junior college in the state with a full-time academic advisory. Brittany White is a big part of our success. She works with professors, checks on absences, and stays on top of so many things. In addition to academic excellence, you have everything in place to be successful.
“When you have the national championship football team on your campus that sets the bar extremely high. As a coach, you relish the opportunity to meet those expectations.”
The recent elimination of in-state recruiting districts has made bringing in the next group of winners an even more daunting task.
“Recruiting is the thing I will miss the most, even though it has become that much more difficult,” Neely said. “You can take a special sense of satisfaction when you bring a bunch of high school youngsters into your program and watch them grow and watch them develop.
“You take another sense of satisfaction when you watch them get the opportunity to play on the next level.”
Neely played softball at Meridian C.C. and then completed undergraduate degree work at Mississippi State University. She interned with the MSU strength and conditioning program before working as a coach at Starkville Academy. She later joined the EMCC staff as an assistant coach for softball and soccer.
“The time here at Scooba has been incredible,” Neely said. “There are some outstanding people who work here. I have had the honor of coaching some really great players, too. There is a part of me tat will miss softball every day.”
However, softball still will fill the coaching void. This week, Neely is serving as an instructor at the MSU softball camp. Next spring, she plans to attend “every EMCC game humanly possible.”
“There comes time for a change,” Neely said. “My priorities have changed a little bit. We have had a good time here, but I am very excited about the future.”
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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