It is normal for collegiate athletic directors to put their names on the sports program, but it isn't common to see them make physical contact and coach.
SAU Tech athletic director and co-head coach of the Rockets' softball team Amy Diehl isn't a normal sports leader. She is one who takes a hands-on approach at leading the athletics program to a higher level. As a head coach, she is one that leads the college's many talented softball players to a potential title.
Diehl is the co-head coach of the Rockets' softball team, along with her husband Phillip Diehl. It is also not uncommon to have co-head coaches, but often times, conflicts can crop up in terms of team vision and dealing with players. However, it hasn't been a problem for this husband and wife; the Rockets are doing very well in their first couple of years as a program.
Both coaches look for what is best for their players to help the Rockets win on-the-field while establishing themselves in the classroom, on campus and in the community.
"I'm passionate about education and passionate about athletics, and guess what, they go together as student athletes," Amy Diehl said.
Amy Diehl is a statistics-driven coach. She looks to get her team playing better than their last performances.
Last season, the Rockets finished with an overall record of 7-9 in their first year as a program, tied for second-place in the region. They won three of their last four games of the season last year with a big 14-6 home win over Baton Rouge on March 7 and 10-3 and 9-6 wins at National Park on March 11.
As a team, the Diehls coached their Rockets to become an efficient team that can hit and get on base consistently. In 16 games last season, the Rockets scored 103 runs, including 20 home runs, on a .371% batting average and an on base percentage of .423%. They had eight players that accounted for at least a .357% batting average and four players that accounted for at least a .432% batting average.
Amy Diehl said she feels that while student athletes can achieve much on the field, she knows that they can achieve even more in the classroom. She said she believes that the life lessons learned through athletics can be a strong building block towards a career or the player's goals in life. She mentioned that six of the last 11 U.S. presidents were collegiate student athletes.
The Rockets will play their last fall home games of the season at 1 and 3 p.m. on Oct. 26. They will have a National Signing Day on Nov. 1 for five baseball players signing with the new SAU Tech baseball team that will start play in the Fall of 2022.
Amy Diehl said she is excited for all of the Rockets' sports program as she looks to keep the teams climbing to new heights as athletic director.