Tom Dodge
With just a month before their first softball practice, Megan Granger has been named the newest St. Edmund Lady Jay head softball coach.
But she has been thrown into the fire before, being named interim head coach at Louisiana-Lafayette after the sudden resignation of head coach Michael Lotief the day before the 2013 softball season began.
“I don’t crumble under pressure,” she said. “If anything out of the ordinary happens I think I am ready for it as I have proved that in the past.”
Lotief would return a month later and Granger remained an assistant coach for the remainder of the season.
She was hired to coach the Notre Dame-Crowley softball team in 2013, but resigned to become a full-time ULL assistant under Lotief.
She also coached at Breaux Bridge while working on her master’s degree.
After she earned her bachelor’s degree in 2012, Granger also earned a master’s degree in sports management, promotion and recreation in 2014.
She was on the Lady Cajun squad for three years after transferring from Louisiana Tech following the 2008 season, where she signed after completing her high school career at Teurlings Catholic.
She played high school basketball under present UL coach Gary Broadhead and softball under the leadership of Kim Hebert.
A four-year softball starter at Teurlings, Granger earned All-State honors her junior and senior seasons as the Lady Rebels won four straight district titles.
Granger helped the Rebels to the state runnerup title as a junior and then the 2007 Class 3A state championship.
Granger played shortstop, first base, third base and outfield for the Rebels.
She was named academic all-state in both basketball and softball as a senior.
Granger also played travel ball for the Louisiana Rebels.
“Me and my twin sister Mandy both signed with Louisiana Tech the first year,” she said. “We both transferred as I went to UL and she went to Nichols State.
“There is a lot of tradition at UL,” she said. “It is a great program that plays at the highest level.
“I played with and against the best of the best,” she said of her days with the Cajuns.
“I learned things in an all new way and at a tremendous level,” Granger said. “We worked every day to be the best both hitting and defensively.”
A St. Martiville native, Granger is the daughter of Percy and Renee Granger and also has one brother, Brandon.
It was her dad that helped begin her trek to become a coach.
“It all started with my dad Percy who did a lot of summer ball programs,” she said. “As far as the passion, the heart and wanting to mold players to become better people, that is all in the blood.”
Granger said her strong suite is to motivate and lead yung athletes.
“I am excited to get out there and do softball,” she said. “That is my love and my passion.
“I am looking forward to getting on the field and start practice.”
Granger said she is looking forward to being a part of the St. Edmund family and buildimg on the Blue Jay tradition.
“Every one plays every ting at a small school,” she said. “So all the girls know each other well.
“But we need to see if we can get closer and build a strong team cheminstry.
“We will work on building confidence and persuing excellence,” she said. “When we do that, we will see the outcome.
“See where kids start and where they finish, that is the fun part,” the coach said. “The reward is seeing them improve and reach their goals.”
St. Edmund finished 12-15 overall and 3-3 in District 5-1A behind Class 1-A state champion Catholic High of Pointe Coupee (17-11, 6-0) and tied for second with False River Academy (14-10, 3-3).
“I like to see what these girls can do,” Granger said of the Lady Jays. “With heart and passion, they can win on the field.”
Granger replaces former SEH athletic director/head football coach Thomas David who coached the Lady Jays for the past two seasons before moving to Opelousas Catholic last spring.