Lake Oconee Academy didn’t have to look far for its new head softball coach.
LOA Athletic Director Chris Ingle has recently hired Glynn McDaniel, an assistant coach for both football and baseball, to fill the position. McDaniel replaces Keetah Singleton, who recently stepped down.
“I’ve been coaching baseball or softball in some capacity for the past 21 or 22 years, so this is not my first time coaching softball,” McDaniel said. “I had the opportunity to coach softball while stationed in Warner Robins, during my time in the Air Force.
“Being around softball in general, I’ve always admired the girls for their energy and enthusiasm. And to me that was kind of indicative of my disposition as a coach, which is what I truly believe coaches are supposed to do,” he continued. “For me, combining that with the players is a recipe for success. So, I’ve always wanted to be in the softball world, albeit baseball has been more my track.”
McDaniel moved to Lake Country a few years ago and served as an assistant baseball coach at Gatewood in Eatonton while his wife taught at Lake Oconee Academy. He eventually accepted a full-time teaching position at LOA as a physical education teacher in the Upper School and started coaching football and baseball.
McDaniel said he always wanted to help with softball but couldn’t find the time because he was already coaching football in the fall. The Tennessee native said everything finally fell into place this past spring.
“When the position became available, I was immediately intrigued and interested,” McDaniel recalled. “So, it was above board, meaning I was already working at LOA. I’m a baseball coach and a football coach, but Coach Ingle, our athletic director, does an excellent job with the process. I knew it would be a very vetted and rigorous process because of how much he invests in athletics.
“Honestly, I submitted my application, and from that point forward, it was essentially a waiting game. I was invited for an interview with the administration. I felt like I went through the interview process, and I was aware of how they’d done things.”
McDaniel admitted to feeling “some anxiety” leading up to the announcement because he knew other strong candidates had also interviewed for the position.
“Ultimately, they landed on me, and fortunately for me, from that point forward I’ve been full steam ahead because I’ve been wanting to do this for a while now,” he said.
McDaniel is excited to take over and continue the success Singleton and her predecessor, Julie Brooker, started. The program has reached new heights in recent years, but has yet to advance to the Elite Eight in Columbus.
“Coach Brooker was one that I heard was just a phenomenal human being, person, and coach. She clearly has a resume that speaks for itself,” McDaniel said. “When talking to the girls, those who are my seniors and juniors, they remember her. They recall what she brought to them and how she poured into them. That legacy continued with Keetah Singleton, the phenomenal coach that she is. Her passion, love, and the relationships she built with these girls formed a strong foundation, which reflects my own approach to coaching.”
McDaniel and the Lady Titans will continue practicing next month for an Aug. 1 start to their season.