Tinley Park turns to past to move forward
The ‘circle of life’ brings back familiar faces Scott, Moravec Schulz to Titans program
Worried? Nah, that’s too strong of aword.
Let’s just say Iwas a tad concerned about the future of Tinley Park softball after longtime coach Wendy Podbielniak resigned in June. I’m not concerned anymore.
Tinley Park athletic director Mike Mongan couldn’t contain his glee when he called to tellme former player Annalisse Scott was hired as the head coach and former player Jenna Moravec Schulz will be joining her as an assistant.
Podbielniak gave the hirings her own stamp of approval during a fun visit in the dugout on awarm, sunny Tuesday afternoon.
She even cleared up a misconception I had about Scott.
I told Podbielniak that I remembered Scott having a very quiet personality.
“Annalisse was very stoic on the mound, which is how she was raised bymyself and her pitching coach,” Podbielniak said. “Shewas very reserved and calm so as to not showtoo much emotion and get herself out of rhythm.”
So Iwas right about her being quiet?
“No, shewas not quiet,” Podbielniak said, laughing. “Shewas a goofball. Shewould crack jokes and laugh and play around. But when she stepped on the field, it was all business, intensity and focus.”
Nowthat’s a nice combination for a future head coach.
Scott made her mark at Tinley Park during a four-year varsity career. As a freshman pitcher in 2013, shewas 12-1 and appeared in the Class 3A third-place game. She went on to be an all-area player and also had three successful college seasons at St. Xavier.
Her playing career ended, like so many other college seniors, when the pandemic struck in March.
“We had our spring break in Florida, and after our last game we got the call that our season was over,” Scott said. “Itwas really hard for us.”
After graduating from St. Xavier, Scott was hired as a third grade teacher at Mount Greenwood Elementary School. Shewas attending a track and field fundraiser this summer at Tinley Park when a chance meeting with Mongan led to him offering her an interview.
“Iwas pretty shocked at first,” Scott said. “I didn’t knowthat it was something I could do. I called both my parents, and I had to check in with ‘Pod’ first to ask how she felt about it. Shewas really supportive.
“They kind of talked me into doing it. I think it’s something I’m going to enjoy.”
Moravec Schulz, a 2010 graduate, was a senior at Tinley Park during Podbielniak’s first season as coach.
Itwas not only a game-changer for her, but an attitude-changer.
“‘Pod’ teaches you determination,” Moravec Schulz said. “She was the most influential coach in my life, even though I only had her for one year.
“That one year, she made such a difference inmy game, my mentality, and how I approached everything.”
Moravec Schulz is the student learning center coordinator at Tinley Park. Shewas a softball coach on the lower levels at Richards for the past three seasons under Julie Folliard.
Leaving Folliard had to be tough. But when you’re going home…
“Itwas a hard decision, but it has always been my dream to coach at Tinley‚” Moravec Schulz said. “I talked with ‘Pod’ a couple of years ago about howmy goal was to eventually make my way back because that’s where my heart lies.
“When Mongan called me, I was actually running contact days at Richards. I knew of Annalisse, and Iwas super excited when I heard we could be coaching together.”
For Podbielniak, the choices couldn’t have been better.
“It’s like having two ofmy daughters coming back,” Podbielniak said. “They are going to take what I started here, continue it, and do way greater things.
“That’s the circle of life. That’s theway it’s supposed to happen.”