Stuppy fills in as softball’s head coach

Colleen Stuppy is the new interim head coach for the women’s softball team. She came to Eastern in 1985 and coached the women’s softball team until 1994, when she had to leave the job in order to give time and effort to her other job on campus. Stuppy taught part-time in the health science department worked for Plant Ops.

Other than being a coach, she is currently the Instructional Facilities Manager of the Philadelphia area for the Campolo College of Graduate and Professional Studies, with an office in Eagle Learning Center.

“I ship books and materials to all our class sites, and I coordinate facilities and equipment concerns and issues for the Philadelphia area sites,” Stuppy said.

When Eastern’s athletic department asked her to be the coach, Stuppy was excited.

“Though it is an interim (position), I am happy to do it,” Stuppy said. “It is hard to believe that I am coaching the oncampus team after (such) a long time.”

Although she does not find any major differences between being a coach in the ’90s and now, she finds the faster way of communicating with the players very fascinating. “I call and use texting to get in touch with them,” Stuppy said.

Her history as a coach dates back to her school days. Stuppy was an assistant coach for field hockey, basketball, softball andtrack and field at Eastern Lebanon County High School.

When she was at East Stroudsburg University for her bachelor’s degree in health and physical science, she played field hockey and softball. She later mastered in physical education at Western Illinois University.

When asked about the toughest part of being a coach, Stuppy said, “The hardest part for me now would be coming in when a team has already been established.”

Stuppy said that her favorite thing about the team is that “the girls have good team spirit,” which, according to Stuppy, is the key to success.

Stuppy is thankful to the assistant coaches who “stepped up and took care of the team right after the sad death of (former) coach Mark Ambler.” She believes that the team was talented to start with, and her goal is to continue the good work.