Center Grove names new softball coach

<p>In her final game as the softball coach at Speedway High School, Alyssa Coleman helped steer the Sparkplugs to a state championship.</p><p>She’ll be expected to contend for another one right away at her new job.</p><p>Coleman, who spent six seasons at Speedway after wrapping up her playing career at Butler, was named the new head coach at Center Grove on Wednesday afternoon.</p><p>She succeeds Russ Milligan, who stepped down earlier this summer after winning five state titles of his own in 27 seasons.</p><p>&quot;I have the largest expectations out of anyone for myself,&quot; Coleman said of the pressure that comes with coaching the Trojans. &quot;So if I meet those, I’m sure that the pieces are going to fall into place again and we’re going to have success.&quot;</p><p>Center Grove’s courtship of Coleman was a quick one. The school reached out to the Minnesota native on Friday and interviewed her Monday. She agreed to take the job on Tuesday but wanted a chance to tell her former players before any public announcement.</p><p>Leaving them, she says, was the only hard part.</p><p>&quot;I’m emotionally attached to that community, that school district and specifically those softball players,&quot; Coleman said. &quot;They know me. They knew my career aspirations, and the have been completely supportive. A large part of why I know I’m going to be successful is because they believe in me.&quot;</p><p>Coleman, who will also teach physical education at Center Grove High School, inherits a talented team — just three seniors graduated from a 30-2 squad that reached the Class 4A semistate championship before falling to Decatur Central.</p><p>&quot;Following in the footsteps of a successful, legendary coach in Russ Milligan would not be an easy task for anyone,&quot; Center Grove athletic director Jon Zwitt said in a statement. &quot;Alyssa presents someone with the maturity, experience and motivation to make the best attempt to fill those shoes.&quot;</p><p>Though Coleman has not yet spoken with Milligan, she plans to reach out to him soon.</p><p>&quot;Obviously, what he’s been doing, it works,&quot; she said. &quot;So I want to learn what he’s doing.&quot;</p>