Larkin tabs Vogt new softball coach
Larkin High School has chosen one of the best players the city of Elgin has ever seen, as well as one of the most respected coaches in the Fox Valley to lead its softball program.
Anne Vogt, a 1992 Larkin graduate who has been the head softball coach at Elgin Community College for 12 years, will take over her alma mater’s program. Larkin Athletic Director Chris Neibch confirmed Vogt’s hiring, pending administrative approval, on Friday.
Vogt replaces Larry Hight, who retired from the position in August after 16 seasons and 304 wins.
“I’ve had an outstanding 12 years at ECC,” Vogt said. “But I’ve always said, and my girls have always told me, that I should be a high-school coach. That’s really where I want to be. I always said if Hight retired I would want that job.”
And only that job.
“Larkin is where I grew up and where I had some great experiences playing for (coach) Dale Schabert,” Vogt said. “I want to give back and teach kids. I’m a teacher of the game and that’s crucial at the high school age.”
Vogt, who is the director of softball operations at Fox Valley Sports Academy in Elgin, was a standout catcher and hitter for the Royals in the early 1990s before going on to play two years at ECC, where she was named an NJCAA Division I all-American. She was also an all-conference and all-region basketball player for the Spartans.
She then played one year at Judson University, from which she holds a degree in sport management. In 1995, she set the Judson career record for batting average in a season, hitting .543.
In her coaching career at ECC, Vogt was twice named conference coach of the year — in 2006 and 2009 when her teams won the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference championship.
“Just sitting down talking with her you know she knows what she’s doing,” said Neibch. “She’s so involved in the community. Everyone says nothing but positive things about her. It’s exciting to sit down and talk the game of softball with her. We’re excited to have her.”
At Larkin, Vogt will take over a program that had its share of success under Hight, but has also fallen on tough times the past two years in terms of winning and losing, going just 19-49, including 9-25 in 2011. Larkin won regional titles under Hight in 1999, 2003 and 2004. Hight also coached 45 players who went on to play in college.
Vogt has a short term plan and a long term plan for the Royals.
“Short term, we need to get kids in the door and put together the best possible learning situation for them,” she said. “I know all about the struggles kids have with work and family and wins and losses are often overemphasized. It’s not fun losing and we want to foster a winning attitude, but I also want to be there for these kids and teach them life lessons.
“Long term I’d like to bring some change into the program and see an attitude that says ‘Im proud to be here. I’m proud to be a Larkin Royal. I’m ready to start with a clean slate and I’m excited to build a winning tradition and a positive attitude.”