By RICHIE HALL
Reporter Sports Editor
There was one more game to play before the high school softball season was officially over: The annual ICGSA All-Star game.
Carmel’s Cherry Tree Softball Complex hosted the event Saturday morning. The game is actually two games, a doubleheader between a North team and a South team. Greyhounds coach Emily Good served as the co-chair of the games, which have taken place at Cherry Tree for the past five years.
“It’s been extremely enjoyable,” said Good. “It’s great for our community to bring the best of the state of Indiana right here to Carmel. Obviously it helps from a financial standpoint with people coming in to spend money in Carmel and surrounding areas. I think when you’ve got a beautiful complex like this, it’s nice to be able to put it on display.”
Good announced that she is stepping down as Carmel head softball coach. Good was the head coach for the Greyhounds for 14 years, starting in 2004. She is also stepping down as coordinator for the All-Star game.
Good was the freshman coach for Carmel in 2003, a year before moving up to the head coach position.
The Greyhounds have had a solid record of success during Good’s tenure as coach. That includes four sectional championships, in 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2012. Carmel won regional titles in 2011 and 2012, a semi-state title in 2011, and the Class 4A state championship in 2011, getting past Avon 1-0 in eight innings.
In addition, the ‘Hounds won five Metropolitan Conference titles under Good, in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015 and 2016.
Prior to coming to Carmel, Good was an assistant coach at Indiana State (her alma mater) for a year, and was an assistant at Terre Haute South for five years.
“It’s been a tremendous ride,” said Good. “I could not have asked for a better situation, better support, have an administration that has backed us. We’ve been part of a complex build. I still believe that we have the best facilities in the entire state. I’m very, very proud of that.”
Good said she is “super proud” of her players and everything they’ve accomplished over the years.
“It’s really about them at the end of the day. We’ve had tremendous support from families and for our alumni to come back year after year and still be vested in this program says a lot. It was a very, very difficult decision, but I feel like whomever our administration decides to go with, I know that they’re going to be in good hands.”
ALL-STARS SPLIT
The All-Star doubleheader ended in a split: The North team won the first game over the South team 9-8, while South took Game 2 by a score of 5-1. In between, season-ending awards were handed out, with Plainfield’s Ashton Slone receiving the Miss Softball award. Penn coach Beth Zachary was named Coach of the Year.
This all took place in a front of a good-sized crowd at Cherry Tree. Good said that attendance has “been pretty steady” over the years, but as the All-Star game continues to get more attention and promotion, the event becomes something people look forward to.
“We’re starting to see a lot of people throughout the years that are coming back and continuing to look forward to this event,” said Good.
While the attention continues to increase, so does the talent. Good said she and other coaches were having a conversation about that, noting that there continues to be an increase in the number of high school players who play at the college level.
But above all, Good said one of the best part is getting to watch softball, saying “it’s just been a nice opportunity to be able to not only host, but obviously be able to watch as well, as a fan.”
Carmel softball coach Emily Good chats with other coaches during a break at the ICGSA All-Star game, which took place at Cherry Tree Softball Complex Saturday. Good announced that she is stepping down after 14 years as the Greyhounds’ head coach and 15 years with the program. (Richie Hall)