Community Corner
Ohlone College Legendary Softball Coach Wins Prestigious Award
With 875 wins under her belt and many more to come, Ohlone College’s legendary softball coach, Donna Runyon, will receive the highly prestigious 2014 California Community College Coaches Association’s (CCCCA) Coaching Achievement Award. As she was told in the letter notifying her that she had been nominated by her peers, this award is about her lifetime of dedication and achievement as a coach and mentor to her players, as well as the service and leadership provided to the community and to Ohlone College.
Coach Runyon has lead community college softball for the past 35 years, with 27 of those spent at Ohlone College. Her crowning achievement is an astounding nine consecutive years of Conference Championship Titles from 2003-2011, as well as claiming Titles in 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1997. Under her guidance, the Ohlone Renegades softball team has qualified for post season play for 25 seasons.
It’s not just the wins that leave a lasting impression on Coach Runyon’s athletes. “I know that we're going to lose games, but I never want to lose the lesson. I teach my teams to always strive to be 1% better every day.” Coach Runyon shares that her chief goal is to mentor young athletes – by teaching them life skills such as responsibility, accountability, honesty, and the importance of being punctual.
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“What makes me proudest of my time at Ohlone is watching my players get degrees and moving on to four year colleges. That always puts a smile on my face!”
Coach Runyon believes in always getting better, attending the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Softball Coaches Convention every year to find new, innovative ways to teach and motivate. She comes back from the convention each year and presents new ideas to her teams and coaching staff.
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“I’ve always had good support from my Ohlone College family,” Coach Runyon says.
“My next goal is to bring the Renegades back into the Championships.” We’ll all be watching closely as Ohlone’s esteemed softball coach pushes towards her 900th win.
Coach Runyon will be honored at the CCCCA Convention at the “Honoring Our Own” luncheon on Thursday, April 3, in Los Angeles.
