GAME ON: The Sideline - Coach DeMarco, LaSalle

GAME ON: The Sideline - Coach DeMarco, LaSalle

Q & A with Coach Leanne DeMarco, LaSalle Sofball

What is your coaching experience?

This is my ninth season as the head coach of LaSalle.

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What are you looking forward to for this season?

Seeing the girls improve every time out there and to get them to believe in themselves. I am also looking forward to seeing our team succeed in the new and, in my opinion, toughest subdivision in Div. I.

What's been your greatest success as a coach?

Seeing the LaSalle program grow into a successful program that consistently contends for the championship each year. Also, two trips to the championship game and winning in 2008 for the first time in the program's history.

What's been your biggest failure?

Initially it would be losing the championship game in 2006 after coming so close; however, it also is not being able to push certain players over the years to reach their highest potential. While it is nice to win, coaching is also about developing talented and successful student athletes. Over the years I have struggled to reach out to certain girls and that to me is one of the biggest failures.

Who have been the best players you've coached?

In the last nine years there have been many players that have demonstrated the qualities of a student-athlete at LaSalle Academy, ones that have met with successful both on the field and in the classroom.

Jessica Chrabacz (04) Meghan Dendy (06) Mary Holt (08) Jordan Tingley (09) Zeena Barbarita (09) are at the top of this list.

How do you motivate your players?

By instilling in them that hard work and determination are the key to success. I teach them a lot of what was taught to me as a softball player both at LaSalle and at Salve Regina. I have high expectations for my players but at the same time try to make it fun for them.