GREENVILLE – When the Lady Wave and the visiting Northeastern Lady Jets took the field Thursday night it brought together a former coach and his standout high school softball player from the 1990’s.
LWSB assistant coach, Greg Newland and Northeastern Lady Jets head coach Wendy Olinger were reunited on the local softball diamond Thursday night when the Lady Jets traveled to Greenville for a non-conference matchup.
Coach Olinger, a breast cancer survivor was a four year first baseman for the Springfield South Division I Lady Wildcats softball program.
As a sophomore, Olinger was the starting first baseman on the 28-0 Lady Wildcats 1995 State runner-up team coached by Greg Newland. Coach Olinger remains the Lady Wildcat’s all time RBI record holder.
“Just a neat girl and great family,” said Newland. “The thing I’ll never forget – she had a brother that played on the baseball team and they were a ball playing family. I talked to mom one day I and I said Wendy had a good game. She said, ‘yes, we’ve been moving the furniture out of the living room at night and hitting wiffle balls’ – that’s the kind of family they were. They could go home and hit wiffle balls in the living room.”
“The kind of girl you want on your team,” Newland added. “There was no silliness, all business, a team leader and we had a very good team. She anchored it over there at first base and set the school record for RBIs, still holds it for around 150 RBIs in her career. Just a sweetheart. Survived breast cancer which is a great accomplishment – just a little bit of her toughness.”
Olinger’s daughter, Katelyn Houser plays for the Lady Jets and her father, Tom Olinger serves an assistant coach with the team.
Coach Olinger took time to talk about her days playing softball for Greg Newland’s successful program.
“They were tough on us but I wouldn’t have changed it for anything,” she stated. “They made us who we are today. I battled with breast cancer, I survived it and I believe having them as coaches helped with that. I loved playing for them and he’s always had a special place in my heart. Every time I see Coach Newland it’s just like the old days come right back.”
“That 28-0 team going to state,” Coach Olinger said of her fondest high school memories. “We had one heck of a team and we worked really hard. That was one of our biggest accomplishments, getting to state, having that team – having that RBI record, holding that is a big highlight of my career.”
Coach Olinger’s word of advice for young aspiring athletes: “Work hard and follow your dreams. Hard work pays off in the long run; it really does, it will get you far in life. Coming out here starting with a game like this instills things in you that you need for life – that discipline, that hard work.”
“This is my 43rd year coaching and you always have that group of favorites,” Coach Newland concluded. “She is one of those and we’re talking 27 years ago…but once you’re a favorite you’re always a favorite.”
