Softball

Elkhart High School
2608 California Road
Elkhart, IN 46514
Twitter: @softballelkhart

Craig Sears, Head Coach
cosears@hotmail.com

Coach Sears played several years of competitive softball, both fast pitch and slow pitch. Gary McAllister, then Memorial’s Head Softball Coach, hired Coach Sears as an assistant in 1991. The Chargers went on to win the first sectional in school history that year. That year was also the first year the Chargers ever had a winning season in school history, winning 13 games. For the next 18 seasons Coach Sears served in various capacities, including Volunteer Coach, JV Coach and Asst. Varsity Coach. He became the Head Coach in 2003 and has held that position ever since.

Under the direction of Coach Sears, the Memorial softball team has won 7 conference championships (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010), 4 sectional championships (2007, 2009, 2010, 2016) and 1 regional championship (2010). Coach Sears has also coached four Indiana All-Stars: Erica Bednarski (2004), Tawny Desimone (2007), Callie Selner (2010), Lauren Strausborger (2013).
Coach Sears has also been named the conference Coach of the Year 6 times (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010), as well as the Indiana All-Star Coach (2008).

Coach Sears is a 1981 Elkhart Memorial High School graduate. He has been married to his wife Karen for 38 years, and together they have three children (Kyle, Allison, and Sean), as well as three grandchildren (Payton, Ethan, and Ryan). When not coaching or playing softball, Coach Sears likes to camp, and watch his grandkids participate in a variety of activities. Coach Sears works as the Grounds Maintenance Supervisor for the City of Elkhart Building & Grounds Department, where he has been for 32 years.