O’Meara steps down as Highland softball coach

By Shane Mettlen

Published: July 5, 2008

Less than two months removed from their second straight state championship, the Highland Hawks are looking for a new softball coach.

Donald O’Meara, who took over the program in its infancy three years ago, stepped down as head softball coach this weekend. O’Meara, who’s wife gave birth to their first child shortly after the state title game, will stay on as the Hawks’ girls basketball coach, but said that two varsity sports was too much for the new father to handle.

“This decision for me comes in part for many reasons, but ultimately it was a family decision for me,” O’Meara said in an e-mail. “I knew something was going to have to give.”

The Culpeper native immediately turned Highland into one of the top private school teams in the state. In three years the Hawks made it to the Virginia Independent School Athletic Association Division II championship game three times, winning in both 2007 and 2008. O’Meara finished with a 55-11 record.

Highland athletic director Gary Leake said the school was OK with O’Meara’s decision.

“He’s a new dad and trying to do two seasons and the AAU basketball, which has essentially become a spring sport, is tough. And his priorities are with his family and we support that.”

O’Meara built the Highland softball and girls basketball teams around several players from the Culpeper area, including Reba Tutt, who finished her first season as an NCAA Division I player at Pittsburgh this spring. Leake said the school is in the process of looking for O’Meara’s replacement and the new coach won’t be lacking talent.

Maire Shaughnessy, a first-team all-state pitcher, returns for her senior season. Catcher Ella Miller and infielder Morgan Stephens also made second-team all-state last year as juniors.

“I’m hoping the new coach will be able to come in and maintain the winning tradition with a good group of seniors coming forward,” Leake said. “It’s not like the cupboard will be bare.”

For O’Meara the decision wasn’t easy.

“It was a tough decision,” he said. “I’d have loved to stay and see the seniors out, but I also wanted the new coach to have plenty to work with and be able to continue what we’ve started.”

Shane Mettlen can be reached at 825-0771, ext. 127 or

The O’Meara file

Who: Donald O’Meara, Highland basketball coach, former softball coach

Career record
(softball): 55-11

Accolades: His teams made three appearances in the VISAA championship game, winning in 2007 and 2008. The team was undefeated against private schools in 2008.
O’Meara has also coached the Highland basketball team to three consecutive appearances in the state title game.