GROVE CITY - Sue Greaves was there when it started.

The Grove City High School softball team was born in 1995. It was just an intramural program, had no school support, little money and a whole lot of unknowns.

Shawnee Denbow, who wanted to see how much interest there would be in softball, launched the program. Greaves was there by her side.

"She was with me from the start," Denbow said. "Now we have come full circle."

After 10 seasons, a 133-53 record, six league championships and eight playoff berths, Denbow has left the program she painstakingly started.

Greaves has taken it over.

"For me, I have some big shoes to fill," Greaves said. "It takes a lot to run a program and Shawnee has been a big help. She's helped me from the on-the-field stuff to all the paper work down to how much dirt to order for the infield."

Greaves served as Denbow's assistant coach last season and guided the junior varsity program. As the season went along, Denbow hinted that it would be her last in the dugout.

Denbow's son, Kent, is a sophomore on the Eagles' baseball team and she didn't want to miss watching him play while coaching the softball team.

"I'll be honest," Denbow said. "I'd still be coaching if not for my son playing baseball.

"I didn't want to miss a day of watching him play. I'm a mom first, a teacher second and then a coach."

Grove City was 5-12 during its first season as a sanctioned sport in 1996 and 7-11 in 1997. Since then, the Eagles haven't had a losing season and have become one of the most consistent teams in the state.

Two years ago, Grove City was 23-0 before losing in the PIAA quarterfinals.

"In my 10 years of coaching, we were undefeated in the league six times," Denbow said. "We went to the district finals every year but the first year. I'm proud of that."

Now the keys have been turned over to Greaves, who has taken the prudent approach of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

"I haven't really changed much," Greaves said. "The girls are responding very well."

It was the girls who helped Greaves make the final step toward taking over the program.

At first, Greaves was a bit hesitant to step into the breach, but felt that old competitive fire burning.

Greaves, who lives in Slippery Rock but teaches in the Grove City School District, decided the time was right now that her sons were Slippery Rock High School graduates.

She had left the program after its first season to spend more time with her sons in their athletic pursuits. Now, she felt, it was her turn."

"Being an empty nester, I thought it was time for me to take on another challenge. I'm a very competitive person," she said. "I didn't know if I was ready, but Shawnee told me I was."

It wasn't until the returning players came to her one by one and asked her if she was going to take over the program in a begging sort of way that Greaves realized what she had to do.

"Some of the girls came and asked me if I would be the coach," Greaves said. "That sealed it for me. That sealed the deal."

Denbow isn't concerned about the transition. As the physical education teacher in the high school, she will still interact with many of the Grove City softball players on a daily basis.

"They'll still see me," Denbow said. "I never had to say goodbye."

To Denbow, it's more like "until later."

She is still leading the very successful volleyball program at the school and has every intention of returning to the softball diamond once Kent's playing days are over.

But for now, she's content with leaving things to Greaves, who was there from the start.

"I feel very fortunate," Denbow said. "Sue will do a great job."