Normal West’s April Schermann sees softball diamond as extension of her classroom

NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD/WYZZ) — This has been a learning season for April Schermann.

Every starting player from her lineup last year graduated forcing the Normal West softball coach to move players into different positions this year and rebuild her squad. But learning is what this coach is all about.

“School was always my safe place,” the Peoria Richwoods grad said. “I knew the people there cared for me and helped lift me up. I’ve always wanted to give back to education and sport.”

Last month, Schermann won 500th game as Normal West’s coach. The former Illinois State standout player has been the Wildcats varsity coach 21 seasons.

Earlier this year, she was named the Project Lead The Way national computer science teacher of the year and an ISU legacy teacher of the year. Schermann thinks the softball diamond is just an extension of her classroom.

Just ask her players. She gives them quizzes periodically.

Elly Rosenberger/Normal West senior: ” We all have common interested, like science and math,” said senior Elly Rosenberger. “And we have a coach that shares those interests with us.”

Schermann was also chosen by Disney as one of 100 teachers considered “innovative and creative.”

“This classroom looks a little different with dirt, grass, fences and bases,” Schermann said of her softball field. “It’s an extension of the classroom, teaching life skills (to players) they’ll need after softball.”

She can frequently out-smart her players with those quizzes. And with the discipline.

“I had a player last year that was in my Advanced Placement calculus class. She wasn’t too keen on math,” Schermann explained. “So her consequence for bad body language on the softball field was she got to do extra calculus. Push-ups and running weren’t a problem for her so she got extra calculus problems from me.”

Normal West opens play in the class 3A Minooka regional on Wednesday.

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