Get to know Kearney softball head coach Katelyn Birchfield
KEARNEY, Mo. — Katelyn Birchfield is the head coach of the Kearney softball team. She has been a teacher in the district for the past ten years. In the fall of 2022, her team made a thrilling run through the state tournament, earning the program’s second state championship and the school’s fifth top-five finish since 2002. For Coach Birchfield, the game is not just about wins and losses on the field but about relationships and encouragement.
Birchfield grew up in Peculiar, Missouri, eventually graduating from Raymore Peculiar High School. In her youth, she played softball and basketball. She started playing competitive team sports at age 15 when she got into softball full-time.
“I definitely had some great coaches during high school ball,” says Birchfield. “They helped shape the athlete I was and showed me how to be a coach in the future, with how influential they were.”
After high school, Birchfield attended Pittsburg State, where she played softball for four years. She majored in physical education and received a minor in coaching. Her first job out of college was at Kearney, where she jumped into being an assistant coach for varsity softball. When it was time to hire a new head coach, Birchfield was prepared to take the helm.
“Obviously, being a head coach, you want to have that success in the win column,” says Birchfield. “But I really want to build relationships. The level of the player does not matter; I want to make softball fun. I want to encourage every kid. If they are not having a great game, or we are not having success, I want to support and motivate them.”
The state championship run of last year was special to Coach Birchfield. The Bulldogs fell behind in every game throughout the playoffs (except for the state final) but came back to win. That takes some unique chemistry.
“That just goes to show you the kids had confidence in each other’s abilities,” says Birchfield. “They were willing to put in that effort and stay focused. They did not get down on themselves, even though they weren’t necessarily winning at that time. They just kept grinding and kept working. And the chemistry of all the kids together was just phenomenal.”
“I think every coach wants to have those great winning records and championships, but really, I just hope the kids that I coach realize that they’re important. I hope the relationships and chemistry they had with our team can carry over in their lives. Ultimately, I hope they look back at their high school seasons and remember how much fun it was and that they enjoyed the experience. I hope that’s what they can take away, and they’ve learned a lot of life lessons along the way to carry over into their everyday working life.”
As the falling leaves of autumn approach, Coach Birchfield prepares another team for Bulldog softball.
“I am really excited about this season, and a lot of the kids are coming up to step into new roles. This year we have a lot of confidence that we will do really well.”
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