BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER
After 20 seasons leading the Mercedes softball program, Betty Morrell announced her retirement last June. Nearing the anniversary of her retirement, Morrell was caught off guard when the school district gave her a call two weeks ago.
“I got nervous,” Morrell chuckled.
The Mercedes school district called to let Morrell know that it wanted to name its high school softball field after her and would do so two hours before Mercedes’ home district game against Brownsville Pace last Friday.
“I’m very grateful that the school district wanted to do that,” Morrell said. “The years went by so fast. And this was because of the kids. They played the game, they did the drills, and they won the games.”
Morrell coached the Tigers to 17 playoff appearances over 20 seasons. Morrell’s time at Mercedes was her first stint coaching fast-pitch softball.
“I had come up playing slow-pitch (softball),” Morrell said. “But the coaches I had around me helped me. Any time I had a concern, they always assured me, ‘We got it, Coach. We got it.’ I learned from them. They were always one step ahead of me on things that needed to get done. I’m very thankful and blessed that I had very good assistants.”
Current Mercedes coach Kristy Leal now carries the torch Morrell kept aflame for two decades.
“Coach Morrell devoted a lot of time and a lot of love to the program,” Leal said. “She means a lot to the kids and the community. No one deserves more of a dedication like that than she did.”
Morrell previously spent time as the softball coach at La Joya High and Progreso before making her way to the Mid-Valley.
“All my softball teams were special in their own way,” Morrell said. “They made coaching fun.”