BOTH CLEAR BROOK and Santa Fe looked to the Golden Triangle area for their new softball coaches, with former Orangefield coach Amy Schmaltz McLaughlin takes over at Brook while Livingston coach Christina Jaques will take up the task of keeping Santa Fe among the area’s top programs.
Schmaltz-McLaughlin coached at Fort Bend Kempner the past two seasons after stints at Tarkington, Orangefield and Lumberton. She also brings collegiate experience to the table, having coached at Navarro, San Jacinto and Galveston junior colleges along with coaching both softball and volleyball at Salem International University in West Virginia, where she also served as the assistant athletic director.
Schmaltz-McLaughlin played her high school ball at Alvin, where she became the program’s first all-Greater Houston performer in 1994, the same season she was named the district’s Most Valuable Player. She then went on attend Texas A&M and was part of the Aggies softball team.
Clear Brook finished 10-20 this past season but does return 10 players.
Jaques, who led Livingston to the Class 4A, Region III quarterfinals last season, is a former all-state catcher while at Bridge City High School who also competed in the state track and field finals. After graduating from Bridge City, Jaques was an all-America shortstop at Lone Star College-Port Arthur where she ranked among the nation’s leaders in batting average and hits.
Santa Fe finished second in District 22-5A last season and advanced to the 5A, Region III quarterfinals.
