During five of the last ten years, the Morrison High School Fillies have been among the Class 2A Softball Final Four State Championship contenders. In 2007 they placed 4th; in 2008 they placed 3rd; in 2010 they placed 3rd; in 2011 they placed 1st; in 2017 they placed 3rd. Their 2017 Regional, Sectional, Super-Sectional, and State Tournament hardware is shown with retiring Coach Tammy Deter. The girls’ proof of prowess was on display prior to the Welcome Home ceremony, sponsored by Morrison High School Athletic Boosters, Sunday, June 4, 2017.
In 1995, Tammy Deter began the girls Softball progrm at Morrison High School. She was inducted into the Illinois Coaches Association Hall of Fame this year.
Deter was asked what is next for the team. “There are High School summer leagues in Morrison[, IL,] for the non-Seniors. And what is next for her? “I really don’t know. I will go home to Michigan to visit family.” She will enjoy “gardening and playing with my three grandkids. I like to stay out of the limelight. God blessed me with good players, excellent volunteer assistants, and parents who spent time taking the girls” to games and practices. “Without that I could not have had” success as a coach.
Team Captains Emma Melton and Emma Sitzmore carried the large trophy into the High School gymnasium at 12:30 p.m., followed by their teammates, Assistant Coaches, and Coach Deter.
Morrison Athletic Booster Karen Stralow began a series of emotional tributes to the team. Men and women were near tears as each recalled the pride this group of young women instilled and their accomplishments. Stralow compared them to the Morrison 2011 State Champion team: “You have the same drive, determination, and sisterly bond” as her daughter’s team had when they took the State win. “You end this season with 100 wins for the Seniors.” The girls and coaching staff listened quietly.
Superintendent Scott Vance stated, “expectations have never been higher” than when this class came in, as far as athletics. He noted examples that they “have been an inspiration to little girls.” These “are upstanding young ladies.” Vance turned to Deter, with whom he shared coaching experience. “Tammy, you have been amazing! It hasn’t been easy.” He told the crowd, “She likes to keep a low profile, but there is drive and professionalism in her you don’t always see. You cannot imagine what a fine coach Tammy is!”
Athletic Director Gregg Dolan began with statistics: Deter’s 23 years of coaching; her teams’ 13 Regional titles, six Sectional wins, five Super-Sectional victories, one State title; the 100 career wins for the Senior girls over four years. He generously praised the coaching staff. He commended the eight Seniors for earning “$1000’s in scholarships; who are in the top ten percent of their class; their excellence, dedication, and determination.”
Coach Deter said of her girls, “They worked hard; they gave a lot. You gave everything to make it happen! [Many] have spent hours from age eight to now, to make this happen.” She thanked “super assistant coaches [over] the last 23 years. I enjoyed every minute of it.” Deter admitted, “I was gone a lot [during those softball seasons]. I thank my family for supporting me.”
Team Captains added their parting thoughts. Emma Melton thanked “every parent and family member for letting us grow into the people we are. I wouldn’t have wanted to spend the last ten years with anyone else [besides these teammates].” Emma Sitzmore thanked the faculty and her family for their support. “I’ve played on a lot of teams. Nothing compares with the girls I played with now.”
Assistant Coach Adam Smith, began, “Eleven years ago,” he told Deter, ” I was just a kid who asked to join the Softball coaching staff. My sisters played, so I knew a little about the sport. Over the years, the stuff I learned from you helped me develop into an acceptable coaching staff member.” He was impressed right away with this team. “You ladies were quiet and listened; you absorbed. That helped you.”