The National Fastpitch Coaches Association named Illinois State head softball coach,
Melinda Fischer, as the first recipient of the Distinguished Service Award at the Speedline Coach of the Year/NFCA Hall of Fame Banquet. The award was developed to honor individuals who have given of themselves to the sport of softball and the NFCA.
Sharon Panske, former NFCA vice president and chair of the Awards and Hall of Fame Committee, developed the award that reads, In honor of your exceptional commitment and dedication to the NFCA and the sport of fastpitch softball.
We wanted to be able to recognize coaches and other individuals for their outstanding service to the sport, as well as to our association, said Panske.
Melinda Fischer was the unanimous choice as the first-ever recipient.
Fischer enters her 18th season as head coach at Illinois State and has been an active member of the NFCA since 1987. Some of her volunteer work includes serving as the NFCA First Vice President for four years, which included convention administration, Chair of the NFCA Division I All-American and Coaching Staff of the Year Committee for two years, with regional service for two additional years, and Games Committee Chair of the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga., for six years. Fischer was also the convention director of the NFCA National Convention for five years, a member of the NCAAs Midwest Regional Advisory Committee, and was selected numerous times by the NCAA to serve as the Games Committee Chair at a regional site.
Melinda is definitely the Volunteer of the Decade when it comes to NFCA service, said Lacy Lee Baker, NFCA Executive Director. She certainly is deserving of this honor.
Fischer has been named the Missouri Valley Coach of the Year (Gateway in 1987) five times and has a 582-403-2 (.591) career record. She has been inducted into the Illinois State Athletics Hall of Fame, as both a coach and as a player.
