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Former Chartiers-Houston standout lands first college head coaching job

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Jenn Castle

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Former Chartiers-Houston standout Jenn Alderson is shown pitching against Trinity March 29, 2004.

While becoming a head coach in collegiate softball was her goal, Jenn Castle was not about to take just any job to fulfill herself.

Any such move would have to make sense, and most importantly be good for her family.

Castle, 31, found the right situation at Alvernia University in Reading.

The former Chartiers-Houston High School pitcher and eight-year assistant softball coach at Marietta College in Ohio, is the new head coach for the newly named Golden Wolves. The university, which changed its nickname from Crusaders a few months ago, made the announcement Monday.

“I just had a really good feeling when I came to campus,” Castle said. “I heard of the Alvernia job opening and did a phone interview. But when I came to campus I was sold. It just felt right. It felt like a good fit for me and my family.”

Castle’s husband, Cody, who was a Marietta baseball assistant coach, and their children, daughter, Cambrie, 4, and son, Carter, 2, made the trip with her this week to their new home.

Castle was a member of her sister-in-law Tricia Alderson’s first softball team at Chartiers-Houston. She graduated from the school in 2004. Her brother, Dan Alderson, is the assistant softball coach for the Bucs.

“When I got here, it just looked amazing – the flow and feel to it all,” Castle said. “They soon will be breaking ground for a new athletic facility that will also have classrooms. It will be an amazing facility. It’s going to be such an upgrade.”

Castle wants to improve the Alvernia program.

The team had a 19-16 overall record this spring but won only five of 16 NCAA Division III MAC Commonwealth conference games.

Castle’s background and experience in recruiting – she served as Marietta’s recruiting coordinator – and experience with weightlifting and conditioning, pitchers and hitters and game day management – should only benefit her in running a program.

“I definitely feel strong about the recruiting aspect,” she said. “Our primary focus right now will be Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. But we’ll be looking to get into New York, New Jersey and the Baltimore area. I feel once we get people onto campus, it will give us an edge. We are hitting the ground running with recruiting.”

Castle’s recruiting ability is one thing that made her attractive to Alvernia.

“Jenn has a proven track record in successful recruiting at an institution similar to Alvernia and impressed us with her knowledge of softball and attention to detail,” Bill Stilles, Alvernia’s director of athletics, said in a release. “We are well positioned for success with a good mix of young talent and strong upper class leadership.”

As a player at Ashland University, Castle was a two-time All-GLIAC (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) selection. She was twice named to the conference’s All-Academic team and holds the school record for hits in a game (5) and is tied for most stolen bases in a season (17). Castle graduate from Ashland in 2008.

She credits her college coach, Sheila Gulas – a 2017 NFCA Hall of Fame inductee – and Jeanne Arbuckle, Marietta’s head coach, for being such “influential mentors” and “positive role models” throughout her playing and coaching career.

“Truly, they are influential women,” Castle said. “They looked out for me and mentored me.

“I feel like I am walking into a good situation at Alvernia. We have some girls with playing experience. Our goal will be to make the conference playoffs and that means in the top 5.

“To have this chance to not only run my own program, but to have the chance to help mold and mentor and lead young wom-en is just a fantastic opportunity for me.”

Castle has been a frequent instructor at softball clinics in Ohio and worked at Bianco School of Baseball in Cecil Township during the summer of 2008.

The past two years she has participated in the Cincinnati Reds’ Legends Youth Baseball/Softball Clinic.

This past June, Castle instructed more than 50 female softball players, up from 20 the previous year – the first time the Reds added the softball component to the clinic.

“I have been working camps for years,” she said. “Of course, the Reds’ legends camp is exciting. I mostly worked with pitchers but I was around most of the girls and hanging around the camp. To increase the number of girls to more than double in one year was a great thing.”

Castle worked with former Reds players Todd Benzinger, Herm Willingham and Ron Oester – all members of the 1990 World Series champion team – and other Cincinnati standouts in pitcher Scott Williamson, a former Rookie of the Year, and Leo Cardenas, a Gold Glove shortstop in the 1960s.

“That was just a lot of fun,” Castle said. “I had all the cards and got them signed. I was just like a kid.”

Castle said current Alvernia assistant Jenn Schroeder will remain on staff and she would like to add one other coach.

Castle will also serve as assistant sports information director with her new position.

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