CHERRY TWP — Moniteau was looking for some quick adjustments to its high school softball coaching staff.

The Warriors didn't have to look far to find it.

Head coach Lennie Claypoole resigned Jan. 20 after four years, due to personal and family reasons. The first practice date for high school softball is March 8.

“We were in a bit of a time crunch,” Moniteau athletic director John Stoughton admitted.

The opening was posted Jan. 25. Three finalists were interviewed for the head coaching vacancy.

Moniteau head football coach Bob Rottman — also an assistant softball coach under Claypoole the past four years — is filling it.“This isn't a situation where it's 'his turn' or something similar to that,” Stoughton said. “Bob is very qualified and the girls know him and are comfortable with him.“He can lead this program back to where it was.”Moniteau reached the PIAA championship game in 2016, going 24-2 that year. The Warriors were 22-4 in 2017 before enduring consecutive losing seasons.The 2020 season was canceled by by the COVID-19 pandemic.“Honestly, I think we would have bounced back with a big season then,” Rottman said. “This team is ready to win again.”Rottman has three daughters playing softball. Abby is a senior catcher-shortstop, Brianna a sophomore outfielder and Graysen is in sixth grade.Rottman and his wife, Jennifer, had run the Eau Claire Little League Association the past few years. A youth softball program was started there under their leadership.A few weeks ago, youth associations in Eau Claire, North Washington, West Sunbury, Marion Township, etc., merged to form the Moniteau Youth Baseball and Softball Association.“That move was long overdue,” said Rottman, who will serve as vice president of softball in the new organization. “Now we have a true feeder system for the high school program.”Rottman's daughters began playing ball at a young age.“When a kid is 4 years old, the first sporting activity they can do is T-Ball,” he said. “We got our girls involved. They really took to it and it's gone from there.”Rottman's assistant coach will be Amanda Miner, a special education teacher at Moniteau and a 1997 Karns City graduate. She ran cross country and track, played basketball and volleyball for the Gremlins.“They didn't begin a softball team there until I was in college,” Miner said.She's done plenty of coaching, however.Miner was an assistant softball coach at Manassas Park High School in Virginia for two years. She also coached cross country and track at Central Dauphin (Pa.) for seven years.She's been teaching at Moniteau for six years.“Ever since my husband and I came back to this area, I've been looking to get back into softball coaching,” Miner said. “This is the first time a position came open in the district.“I'm very excited about working with Coach Rottman. The fact he coaches football and softball shows his ability to work with kids. And this will be the first time I've coached with someone who has daughters on the team. I'm looking forward to seeing that dynamic.”Rottman said neither varsity team he coaches will be affected by the other one.“After football season, our kids go into a winter weight room program, as do our softball players,” he said. “Softball wraps up in June, when summer football conditioning begins.“We live in a sports household, anyway. Our lives won't be affected by this. During the fall, our dinner table conversation is football. Our girls play basketball, too, so that's our winter conversation. Then it's softball in the spring.”Abby Rottman, fourth-year pitcher Courtney Stewart and Taylor Schultz are seniors on the Warrior softball team this spring.“We have everyone back from last year but one player,” Rottman said. “Courtney's pitching has looked excellent this winter. With the young players we've got coming up, we should be very competitive.”

Bob Rottman