Traverse City Record-Eagle

Softball

August 23, 2011

Doriot steps down at TCSF

By MIKE ECKERT meckert@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — When softball teams take the field next spring, a new era will begin at Traverse City St. Francis.

After 17 years as varsity head coach, Mike Doriot has called it a career.

“It just felt like the right time,” Doriot said. “I’ll still be around. I will be there helping the pitchers and doing the field maintenance, like always.”

But somebody else will be coaching the Glads.

“I’m glad he’s not leaving leaving, but not having him in that coaching job will be tough,” SF athletic director Tom Hardy said, adding the job posting is now open. “He affected a lot of girls’ lives.”

Besides the 17 years as varsity coach, Doriot spent the seven years prior to that leading the JV.

“I run into (past players) who have kids, they’re married now,” Doriot said. “Boy, am I getting old.”

Among the highlights of his coaching career, Doriot said, was reaching the state finals three straight times in 2000-2002. The Gladiators even played for the Division 4 state title in 2001, but lost a 5-1 decision to Mason County Eastern.

During his tenure, Doriot had nearly 500 wins, was regional coach of the year and ended his career as coach of the state’s D-4 All-Star team this spring.

Doriot, a 1965 St. Francis grad, also coached some middle school basketball at his alma mater. But his work on the softball diamond is where he’ll be remembered.

“We had a lot of success, but if it wasn’t for the girls and all the time they put in, we wouldn’t have done as well as we did,” he said.

Doriot said the new coach at St. Francis will have plenty to work with.

“I didn’t want to leave an empty bucket,” he said. “Our pitcher (Bailey Johnson) coming back is a junior. And this is probably the best group of ninth graders we’ve ever had. So that will be good.”

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