News

End of an Era: Danielle Simoneau Steps Down as NCHS Softball Coach; Joel Geriak Named Successor

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The highly successful and widely respected head coach of the New Canaan High School varsity softball team has stepped down, officials said Monday. Danielle Simoneau decided to make the change in order to watch her own daughter Makenzie—a freshman at Trumbull High School—play, according to NCHS Athletic Director Jay Egan. “We are very grateful for all the time and effort Danielle has given to build the softball program at NCHS and in the community,” Egan said in an email to softball families. “NCHS softball was a perennially weak program before Danielle came on board. We won an FCIAC Championship under her leadership and the youth softball program is viable option for girls in the spring.”

Named to the NCHS post in 2010, Simoneau herself was a standout pitcher, and powerful hitter, at Westhill High School in the early 1990s.

Business

New Sponsors Step Up To Support NC Softball; Program Sees Rapid Growth

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For decades, iconic New Canaan business Karl Chevrolet has sponsored—and continues to sponsor—little league baseball teams in town. The national Chevrolet company runs a program that distributes funds to specific youth leagues through the 1927-established Elm Street business and local Chevy dealers. This summer, Karl Chevy is expanding its support to include one of New Canaan’s rapidly growing sports for girls: softball. “We’ve met a couple of families from the program and they asked for help,” said Steve Karl, a VP at Karl Chevy and former Bantam league Huron who graduated in 1980 from New Canaan High School. “We said yes, we would do it this year.”

Sponsors for softball have nearly doubled year-over-year, according to Jeff Fortmann, a town resident handling community relations for New Canaan Softball.

News

Letter: Softball Field Improvements Are Evidence That First Selectman Should Remain Board of Finance Chairman

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On November 8th, citizens of New Canaan will be allowed to vote on proposed changes to the Board of Finance. Having worked with our first selectman on investments in girls’ softball infrastructure in town, I am strongly opposed to these changes. The town needs a single and accountable leader to guide town spending, especially when important and timely investments need to be evaluated and funded. I approached our first selectman as a parent volunteer representing the NCHS Softball team and the NC Softball League. Our varsity field at Waveny was in poor condition, we had no designated bullpen, and our backstop— built in the 1980s—was unsuitable and dangerous.

News

Kane’s No-Hitter Lifts New Canaan Softball Over Central

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On a day when their bats weren’t working as well as they usually do, the New Canaan Rams needed a lift from their pitcher. And did she ever deliver. Sophomore hurler Gillian Kane threw a no-hitter and tied a school record by striking out 13 batters to help the Rams edge the Central Hilltoppers 2-1 Wednesday afternoon at Bridgeport Central High School. New Canaan (9-7, 7-5 FCIAC) avoided what could have been a catastrophic defeat in their pursuit of an FCIAC berth, as Central pitcher Soleil Rivera kept the Rams hitters at bay, surrendering only six hits and one walk while striking out three. “A win is a win,” New Canaan head coach Danielle Simoneau told NewCanaanite.com.

Sports

Keshin, Kane Lead New Canaan Softball Over Ridgefield

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Molly Keshin has hit lots of home runs in her two-and-a-half years with the New Canaan Rams. In fact, the junior catcher’s six homers coming into Friday’s game at Ridgefield High School were the most in program history. Perhaps none were bigger than number seven. Keshin’s three-run blast in the third inning gave New Canaan a lead it would not relinquish as the Rams picked up a huge 4-3 win over the Tigers. With the win, New Canaan improved to 7-5 overall and 6-3 in a tight FCIAC playoff race. Meanwhile the Tigers, who came into Friday’s contest having won seven of their last eight games, fell to 8-4 and 5-3 in the FCIAC.