Leazer takes over at Prospect
While she was enjoying one of the best pitching careers in Carthage College softball history, Krystina Leazer always hoped one day she would become a head coach in the sport.
"But I didn't know it would happen this fast," said Leazer, who graduated from Carthage in 2013 as its winningest pitcher of all time with 82 wins. "I'm esctactic."
Leazer has been named the Prospect High School softball coach, replacing Jim Adair, who retired from teaching and coaching last year.
Leazer began working in the physical education department (also as a dance and health teacher) at Prospect in 2014 shortly after graduating from Carthage, where she also set a record for career complete games (88), innings pitched (737) and strikeouts (702).
A three-time pitcher of the year in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (2011, 2012, 2013), Leazer also played a year of volleyball at Carthage after competing at Elk Grove High School in volleyball, basketball and softball.
"I had the best coaches you could ask for in my sports at Elk Grove," Leazer said, referring to Joe Di Silvio (volleyball), Ryan Kirkorsky (basketball) and Ken Grams (softball). "I still talk to all of them."
Leazer was an infielder and pitcher for Grams, who is the second-winningest softball coach in IHSA history.
"I always loved softball," said Leazer, who began playing T-ball at a young age followed by many seasons with the Elk Grove Heat. "I knew I would not want to be far away from the game. If I couldn't play it, I still wanted to be a part of it (by coaching)."
Leazer takes over a Prospect team that was 10-21 record and produced a school-record 22 home runs.
Northwestern-bound Lauren Caldrone (junior) tied the 1988 record for doubles in a season with 13 while Dayton recruit Alyssa Cacini (junior) tied Casey Lenski's 2015 record for RBI in a season with 47.
Leazer will be assisted by former junior varsity coach Ray Collins.
"I'm really big on making sure the team chemistry is strong, and so is Ray," Leazer said. "We want open communication so everyone is on the same page."
Completing Leazer's coaching staff are Shannon O'Connor, Andre Poisson, Andrea DiPrima and Olivia Roback. DiPrima (Buffalo Grove) and Roback (Elk Grove) were two of the all-time top players in the Mid-Suburban League.
Leazer will hardly be among unfamiliar company when she makes her head coaching debut a week from Friday.
That's when Glenbrook South visits with former Elk Grove pitcher Dana Boehmer in her first season as the Titan coach. Boehmer's assistant is Missy Reegan, who was Leazer's teammate at Elk Grove.
Leazer is looking forward to beginning her first season with almost all the players back from a year ago when she was Adair's assistant coach.
"It's a fast season, so little things can drive you apart," Leazer said. "But I think we have a great group and they are fun to be around. We just want to see the team chemistry continue to grow and this team has a lot of potential to be successful."