National News

 August 14, 2012

Glen Ellis, formerly the assistant softball coach at St. Louis Community College, has been appointed head coach of the Archers. Ellis previously worked for two years as an assistant at STLCC-Forest Park, and last season under former head coach Wayne Brian in the first year the college consolidated intercollegiate athletics into a districtwide program.

Ellis’ coaching career includes extensive experience at the prep level, where he has coached select softball during the summer. Ellis looks to that experience to play a key role in his recruiting efforts, which he contends will be a key aspect in building STLCC softball into a formidable program.

“My goal is in five years, for this program to be back where it was at its higher points,” Ellis said. “Recruiting is a very big part of it, and getting the trust in the girls to play here.”

Ellis’ five-year plan is an aggressive pursuit. It’s one that, if successful, would have the Archers routinely becoming a qualifier for the national tournament, as the STLCC-Meramec teams were for three decades under hall of fame coach Celeste Knierem.

To begin his tenure, Ellis anticipates the return of three players from last year, including top hitter Tory Ellis (Fox), who batted a team-best .345 with 43 RBI and 12 home runs as a freshman last year. Outfielder Robyn McIntosh (Trinity) and infielder Taylor Moiser (Affton) round out the Archers’ returning class.

The Archers have 17 incoming freshmen, an early testament to Ellis’ recruiting efforts, even prior to being named head coach. Ellis looks forward to stabilizing the coaching ranks, which he says created a sense of uncertainty for local recruits.

“It’s been hard to recruit players, not knowing who the coach is, and that’s a hard thing to tell them,” Ellis said. “Now that things are set, there’s a lot more certainty.”

Part of that certainty is retaining a coach who already has familiarity with the program. That effort is supplemented by the Archers also retaining assistant coach Ken Williams, who worked alongside Ellis last year.

Ellis and Williams won’t have to wait long to begin their work to return STLCC to prominence. The Archers begin their fall season with their first practice Aug. 25.