Steve DePasquale, in his 24th year coaching, says his goal this season is to lead the team to winning the region
By Krista Cerminaro
Right off the bat, Rowan College at Gloucester County softball coach Steve DePasquale, of Williamstown, would say his ultimate goal for this season is simple: to win the region.
“Region XIX is what we play in — there’s some really, really strong teams … three of us are nationally ranked in the top 10,” DePasquale said. “Presently, we’re sitting at three, but the battle is to get through that region, win that region, move on to nationals and win a national title.”
DePasquale, who’s coaching his 24th season at RCGC, describes himself as “the kind of guy that likes to get on to the next one.”
“Anything that happens on the field, right when it’s off the field, it’s totally gone to him. He’s just this happy person all the time. He’s a great coach,” sophomore Mackenzie Lafferty said.
But, after a 15–0 victory against Northland Community College in Titusville, Florida — the game that earned DePasquale his 700th career win — his players wouldn’t let him off the hook so easily.
“I could tell the girls were focused — they needed to get that 700th win. They wanted to make me turn red,” DePasquale joked. “They really helped me celebrate in Florida, and made sure it was a special moment.”
“We hit the ball early, we played great defense, our pitcher went to work and did a nice job, and they got us a big, big lead early,” he continued. DePasquale noted his team shows a strong combination of skills in of power, speed and defense.
While the accomplishment was noteworthy, DePasquale said his 700th win was just as important to him as his first.
“I’ve been lucky enough to coach all these amazing young ladies out of South Jersey,” DePasquale noted. “The 700th win is as big to me as the first one, as the 175th — just because I enjoy the moments with them.”
One of DePasquale’s greatest joys is being able to spend time with his players, watch them succeed on and off the field and see his former players still expressing interest in the game.
“Right now, I have former players who are coaching — one of the young ladies is coaching at Cherokee, one of them is coaching at Penns Grove, so they’re all over,” DePasquale said. “The fact that they want to come back, they want to be part of that program, they want it to be what they remembered it as, and continue that program.”
Three of DePasquale’s assistant coaches, including pitching coach Erica Harmon, have played for the long-time coach.
“He’s very welcoming. He pushes you in a way that is different for each player, so he knew how I needed to be motivated to go out and do my best,” Harmon said. “He knew all of your quirks, and all of your buttons to push to get you to work harder, but it wasn’t just for him to succeed. It’s for the whole team. It’s for you to be able to live up to your potential.”
Harmon, who played for DePasquale’s ASA team at age 14, said he was ultimately the reason she chose to play at RCGC, which was Gloucester County College at the time.
“He’s like a father-figure and a coach, all wrapped into one. He’s also a mentor and role model,” Harmon said.
DePasquale, a culinary arts teacher at Gloucester County Institute of Technology, credited his wife and family for their support throughout his coaching career. Ultimately, his love for the game stemmed from the time he spent coaching his two daughters, who are now in their 30s.
“They really had a passion for it, so it was fun to be there with them,” DePasquale said. “I coached some high school sports — baseball and softball — but I was able to coach them [in] travel ball for a long time.”
Although DePasquale may no longer coach his own family, the RCGC team is a family in itself.
“The biggest thing strength-wise, I think, right now,” Pasquale said, “is, we kind of play as a family. So, everybody’s taking care of the next player and looking out for the other girls.”
“We’re literally always together, even after practice. We’re always going somewhere to eat, or hanging out before, doing team bonding stuff,” Lafferty said. “It’s really great to have a family outside of your house.”
