leadership were three main and recurring themes in the group’s discussions. For Goodner, being in the presence of these four women, as well as OPCs such as Carly W. Lynch OPC ’94 and Catherine McGuckin Cantlin OPC ’92, was deeply inspiring. With these role models before her, she and others knew there was even more they could be doing for PC girls athletics. It had to be something bigger than one celebration every 20 years. How could they leave a lasting legacy? How could they have a sustainable impact on Penn Charter and the young women who would follow them in PC sports? Thus, the Women’s Legacy Fund was born, founded in honor of these four women and upon the three characteristics – dedication, persistence and leadership – that they modeled for young, female athletes.
Historical Perspective Within the next few years, the executive committee hopes to publish a book on girls athletics at Penn Charter. Using archival photos and stories from women who pushed for developments in the girls program, the committee hopes the book will educate the Penn Charter community on a piece of its history known to few. The WLF does not just tell the history of girls athletics at PC: it hopes to actively engage the present-day community. “Our number one goal [is] to build this connected group of alumni, families and students who are committed to developing girls athletics at PC,” Goodner said. When asked about the needs she sees in the Athletics Department with regard to the girls program, Goodner calls upon her own experience at PC as an athlete. “There was this non-stop activity of development,” Goodner said. “The pushing of the program was constant. There was always something happening.” In 2011, when Goodner and the group of OPCs – who would soon become the WLF Executive Committee – began gathering feedback from current PC families, they noticed a lull in the promotion and development of the girls program and a
2013 Softball:
Inter-Ac Champions! PC softball brought home its sixth Inter-Ac championship last May with an 11-0 win over Baldwin School, closing the scorebook on a season of superlatives.
Earlier in May, sophomore Kayla Quinn pitched a perfect game, the first in the 21-year history of Penn Charter softball, retiring 21 batters in a game with no errors, no walks and no hits by opponent Academy of Notre Dame. Doc Mittica, head coach since the PC softball program began in 1992, said some parents and even some players were unaware that Quinn had a perfect game in the making and – in keeping with the superstition about jinxing a perfect game – the possibility was not discussed in the dugout. “In the fourth inning,” Mittica recalled, “I said to one of my coaches, ‘I’m not saying anything…’ and he replied: ‘No! Don’t!’” Mittica, who said he has seen several no-hitters in his 30 years as a softball coach but no perfect games, noted two key plays in the perfect game: the final out, a ground ball to shortstop Eileen Hennessy, to end the game, and a play
by right fielder Ayanna Matthews to field a ground ball in the first inning and throw to Jess Drossner at first base. “That throw to first by Ayanna is a great play in any game but, looking back, it was key.”
Catcher Kristina Kubach and the other PC players kept the game rolling along. “Kayla had just two strikeouts,” Mittica said, “so it was important that everybody fielded cleanly and did their job. I think the team handled it very well.”
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