Coach Janice Savage's contract was up this year and was not renewed, it was announced today. Search to begin immediately.

http://www.appstatesports.com/ViewArtic ... =211588188

39-114? wow thats bad

Annual volume of roster turnover says a lot.

Very young team

Gillin has high standards for both on field and off field success. We all know Softball will have a tough time in a very good league, but its hard to defend a record that bad. Gillin isn't one to make rash decisions so I'm sure he had multiple reasons to support this. Hate to see anyone lose a job, but it's time to move forward.

It's telling when the official tweet is favorited by multiple current players.

Oops! See next post!

Boone Goon wrote:Annual volume of roster turnover says a lot.

This team's recent turnover history has been astonishing. Something has been amiss. There's a coach out there somewhere who can recruit, retain, coach-up SB skills and develop a competitive team.

You can both feel bad for Savage and think it was the right move. It seems like she lost the team and when that happens, most times it's best to part company, especially when a contract is up for renewal.

Savage was Cobb's last hire and he bolted shortly after, so she was given a very raw deal out of the gate. Inherited a team that 9 out of 10 coaches would have had similar results with the first two years, had some bright spots here and there, but in the end they couldn't get the wins.

If App wants to be successful in the Sun Belt in softball, some things that have nothing to do with personnel need to change. S/L Stadium, while a tremendous upgrade from playing at a rec field with overhanging ground-rule-double power lines, is literally between a rock and a hard place. The design was poor and it can't grow. A new stadium at the old WHS would be awesome and you wouldn't have to share indoor facilities with 19 other sports.

I know players prefer real dirt and grass, but turf would be a wise move. Avery HS has a turf infield and even Lees-McRae has used it for games when their field doesn't dry. In spring 2016, the first time App Softball was able to practice on an actual softball field was an hour before their season opener at Auburn.

The new coach will have to pick up where Savage left off on the recruiting trail, dipping into Georgia and Florida to find talent. It's a tough sell to convince young women to not go to any number of warm-weather schools that have flat land and ample space for playing, but they need a hard-nosed recruiter who can accentuate positives and hide negatives while they build up the roster full of Sun Belt caliber players. There's some already on the team, IMO.

While it seems harsh to do this three days after the final game, it's better than stringing it out for weeks and helps to get a jump on finding a new coach. But it still says something that it happened with Capel-esqe speed after the season.

"she lost the team"
That is what I have heard for the last two years. She seems like a nice person, but it is best to part ways.

Didn't like living in Boone. How do you recruit people to play in a town you don't believe in yourself?

bigCasu wrote:Didn't like living in Boone. How do you recruit people to play in a town you don't believe in yourself?

I guess the cool mountain air and a picturesque sandwich crumb lined main street aren't for everyone.

I believe I'd get the coach from Alexander Central High school.............

Rekdiver wrote:I believe I'd get the coach from Alexander Central High school.............

The current coach at AC? Or the legend...Monte Sherrill? If you meant Monte he is now finishing up his second year at Pfeiffer, where he has by all accounts exceeded expectations in how fast he is building the program there. It would be a quick move up but the guy just wins and does it all with strict discipline. Not many thought he could make the Falcons national contenders this quick but he has. Would he be interested in the APP job? A few factors he would probably have to consider are his daughter(s) - can't remember how many are with him at this point - and Pfeiffer's upcoming move down to DIII.

Monte is at Pfeiffer, his alma mater, and it would take a haul to get him. He interviewed at App before and had many demands. I'm sure they'd be higher now that he's winning in college. However, we need to find someone that can recruit. He has 3 all Americans at Peiffer, 1 being his daughter and the other two were from Alexander as well.

If not him, we need to find someone that can out recruit him at Pfeiffer as well as Lenior Rhyne. I feel we have consistently been out-recruited by LR with the exception of the tenure of Shae Wesley and Amy Harrington. I almost forgot to mention USC Upstate. One of their main pitchers the past 4 years is from right down the road at Fred T. Foard.

We need a strong recruiter that not only recruits strong players that can compete in the Sun Belt, but that are built to perform on our current field. It will be at least a few years before they make the move to the old HS location, if they do that. You have to recruit players that can pitch to the current field, and hitters that can drive the ball as well as contend with teams on their fields. Use our field as a strength, don't look at it as a hindrance.

To compete in the Sun Belt, all areas need to improve and that's putting more money in that sport with the entire coaching staff as well.

Just my opinion, for what its worth.

Pfeiffer is reclassifying to D-III. That might be enough to get him to explore some options. Plus, we now have an AD who is good at ADing.

More App State head coaches don't live in Boone than live in Boone.

appgrad98 wrote:Monte is at Pfeiffer, his alma mater, and it would take a haul to get him. He interviewed at App before and had many demands. I'm sure they'd be higher now that he's winning in college. However, we need to find someone that can recruit. He has 3 all Americans at Peiffer, 1 being his daughter and the other two were from Alexander as well.

If not him, we need to find someone that can out recruit him at Pfeiffer as well as Lenior Rhyne. I feel we have consistently been out-recruited by LR with the exception of the tenure of Shae Wesley and Amy Harrington. I almost forgot to mention USC Upstate. One of their main pitchers the past 4 years is from right down the road at Fred T. Foard.

We need a strong recruiter that not only recruits strong players that can compete in the Sun Belt, but that are built to perform on our current field. It will be at least a few years before they make the move to the old HS location, if they do that. You have to recruit players that can pitch to the current field, and hitters that can drive the ball as well as contend with teams on their fields. Use our field as a strength, don't look at it as a hindrance.

To compete in the Sun Belt, all areas need to improve and that's putting more money in that sport with the entire coaching staff as well.

Just my opinion, for what its worth.

I'm not "very" plugged in to the softball scene but I keep hearing good things about the assistant coach down at USC Upstate...Bryan Pack. Young, energetic...might be a name to target.

T-Dog wrote:More App State head coaches don't live in Boone than live in Boone.

Is that because they can afford nicer homes in places like Lenoir? It may have changed, though I seriously doubt it has, but the Boone residential market is pricey. compared to what can be purchased 30-45 minutes away in most directions.

I think we should look at assistant coaches from SEC, ACC teams that operate at the higher level.