It was the bottom of the seventh inning and the SUNY New Paltz Hawks softball team was beating the hosted SUNY Cortland Red Dragons, the dominating school of the State University of New York Athletic Conference. After an error on the hawk’s defense, the home team lost the lead and lost the game.
After the game she smiled and said “We played damn hard and I’ll be damned if we didn’t shake up the most feared team in the conference. Let’s go take game two.”
The 2010 women’s softball team earned one of the most victorious seasons in the history of Hawk softball and recorded a 20-18 season in Denise Marchese’s first year of coaching. For the fourth time in Hawk’s history, the softball team qualified for the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Championship Tournament.
Denise Marchese, 37, named head softball coach at SUNY New Paltz last year, set out to change the outlook on New Paltz athletics.
Marchese lived the life as a champion, winning state championships in high school and national championships in college.
“Being a part of a national championship is undescribable,” said Marchese. “When you have worked so hard and reached something that seemed so unattainable, you finally realize anything is possible.”
This is the message Marchese sends to her team in practice and in play. As she walks the field during warm ups in practice, Marchese looks for who seems ready and determined to be the best. Throughout practice, she tests the perseverance of the players by hitting balls over their heads and around their practical span of reach. She is looking for champions.
Marchese stresses that perfect practice makes perfect play. During a daily practice Marcheses manages to run infield, outfield, pitching, and catching like a maestro directs a symphonic band. While each group is busy with their own set of skills to perfect, the practice as a whole runs smoothly to create “perfect play.”
With limited and occasional help from volunteer assistant coaches that cannot always be at practice, Marchese leads with confidence and respect of each individual player who comes to the field ready to give their full potential.
Once practice is over, Marchese returns to her office to look over the success of the day. Behind her desk is a giant white board full of names of potential players. Marchese carefully plans her team out with what talent she is given.
“I was lucky [last year] to have had seven seniors who all lead by example,” said Marchese. “This year is a building year.”
Marchese confidently jots down names of players who she plans to test in the next day’s practice. As she does, she reminisces on her past experience as a player.
Growing up in Commack, Long Island, Marchese was inspired to play by her father who brought her to his softball games. Around six years old, Marchese began to play. As the oldest of two, a younger borther and sister, Marchese led the way in accomplishments in softball.
In her Junior and Senior years of high school, Marchese was named All League and All County. Her coach, Bill Edwards, led the team to win the State Championship.
“Bill was the most inspirational and influential coaches I have ever had,” said Marchese. “He was truly the first coach that ever made me consider wanting to aspire to be a great coach.”
Marchese played for a summer traveling softball team, the PSI Curriers, where she had the opportunity to travel to South Dakota and win the America Softball Association (ASA) National Championship. She was also involved in a Mid Atlantic Regional Championship win and placed 5th in nationals in 1989.
Marchese went on to play at Eastern Connecticut State University where, as a four-year starter at first base, she received the Gold Glove award 3 years in a row, among other still reigning honors and achievements.
Marchese began coaching while in her fifth year of college at the age of 23. After graduating, Marchese became the head coach at St. Joes in West Hartfort, CT for four years.
“When I graduated college, I wasn’t as fortunate as graduates today who can apply to be grad assistants,” said Marchese. “I was very lucky to have been able to be an assistant and gain the experience.”
Marchese begame the Head coach at SUNY Oneonta for three seasons, starting in 2000. Afterwards, Marchese stepped up to a larger position, as the assistant coach at Central Connecticut State University for a total of 5 years.
Feeling that she was very familiar with the SUNYAC Conference and believing she had a niche in coaching, Marchese decided to apply for the position head coaching position at New Paltz.
Although only a year of coaching has passed at New Paltz, Marchese has begun recruiting for the 2012 season.
“Building a name is important for the college,” said Marchese, “and recruiting is not easy.”
With a chuckle and a spin of her chair, Marchese popped up from her desk remembering she had to get home to feed Charlie, her beagle.
“See you on the field?” Marchese said with a grin as she shut her door to the office.
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