Manarino
calls it a career after 23 years
By
Patrick Creaven
Summer Forty-Niner
Sports Editor
Pete Manarino will be found at Long Beach State softball games next season,
but for the first time in 23 years Manarino will be in the stands, not in the
dugout.
One of the most successful college softball coaches ever decided it was time
to move on and retired on June 21. Assistant coach Kim Sowder is a candidate
to become the new head coach and is wanted by the players.
“After coaching for 31 years I wanted a new challenge,” Manarino
said.
The new challenge Manarino speaks of is the Athletic Director of Junipero Serra
High School in San Juan Capistrano. Manarino will take over the A.D. duties
in July.
“I’ve always wanted to be involved in the administration side of
sports, and I got a great opportunity to do that,” Manarino said.
Manarino finished his college softball career with a record of 843-508-2, ranking
him in the top-15 in victories. He led the 49ers to 17 NCAA Regionals, five
College World Series and was named Conference Coach of the Year five times.
“After coaching at Long Beach for 23 years, I have become very close to
the university,” Man-arino said. “It was a very difficult decsion
to leave, but I will still be around and I will always hold Long Beach close
to my heart.”
Brian Kolze has faced Manarino teams for 19 years, first as an assistant at
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and for the past 14 years as head softball
coach at Pacific.
“Pete’s been a great friend and a great adversary,” Kolze said. “It’s
not going to be the same not seeing Pete on the other side of the field.”
Manarino called his players one-by-one to tell them he was going to retire.
“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do,” Manarino
said. “I’m very close with my student-athletes and I care a lot about
them.”
Michelle Turner, who was named Big West Conference Pitcher of the Year last
season, heard the news when she listened to a voicemail message from Manarino.
“I wasn’t too surprised,” Turner said. “I could tell
it was coming sooner or later.”
For the past 11 seasons, Sowder has been by Manarino’s side as an assistant
coach for the 49ers, and in the early 90s, he was the shortstop of three 49er
teams that reached the College World Series. Sowder is also a member of the
Long Beach State Athletics Hall of Fame.
“We are definitely very sad to see [Manarino] go,” Sowder said. “He
has given me so many opportunities, first as a player and as a coach. I have
learned so much from him about softball and life.”
Sowder has told Athletic Director Vic Cegles that she is interested in the
head coaching job.
“I would be very grateful to have the opportunity to be head coach of Long
Beach State,” Sowder said.
According to Turner, the players are hoping Sowder will become their new coach.
“With some luck Kim, [Sowder] will take over. That will be ideal,” Turner
said. “She understands that it can’t be softball all the time. We
are students too and we have families.”
Whoever becomes the new coach will inherit a strong young club, which in 2006
reached the NCAA Regionals and finished with a 31-22 record. The 49ers are
losing just two seniors from last year’s
|
