by Julia Cuttone
Carla Campagna, Adelphi Softball Head Coach, signed to her position in September 2018 after she interviewed for the position in August and was offered a spot a few weeks later. “I really enjoyed my six years at LIU Post as assistant softball coach, but I felt ready for my next step.” In addition to the head coaching position at Adelphi University, she was also offered an Assistant Athletic Director position handling the academics in the athletic department which she said she felt well prepared for with all her experiences at LIU Post. She has been coaching softball since playing in college from 2009 to 2012. Prior to collegiate coaching, I was involved with coaching and training at several different travel softball organizations on Long Island such as Long Island Sudden Impact, Long Island Hellcats, Long Island Ducks, and BlueFire softball. At the collegiate level, she coached at LIU Post for six years and she is entering her second year as the head coach at Adelphi University. “Softball has also allowed me to travel to many amazing locations because of recruiting, I have traveled to British Columbia, Canada, Oregon, Colorado, and up and down the east coast. I have had opportunities to meet many coaches and trainers across the nation and I would say that networking through conversations are my favorite part about recruiting.”
Campagna is excited for the Panthers upcoming season having 18 players on the roster and she is looking forward to watching each of them grow and develop as softball players and young, mature, respectful student athletes. Their season opens up in Florida in early March. “Adelphi has provided me with new opportunities that I couldn’t imagine, working on and off the field with student-athletes, a family atmosphere and most importantly, coaching the sport I feel so passionate about.”
She said, “My advice for softball players would be to relax a bit and enjoy the game. Focus on the little details and things that you can control, which are attitude, effort, parental interaction, character, interpersonal skills, and communication. I would urge players to seek a competitive level of play before college and focus on time management. They should network on their own, attend camps and clinics, and show the coach your personality. My advice comes from experiences with recruiting student-athletes from all areas in the U.S. I find that when relationships with athletes are built, it creates a comfort level to share experiences and discover what they value in their collegiate career.”
