Park University Women's Softball

Tingler's name is synonymous with high school softball in the Kansas City area after 14 years as the head coach at Smithville High School, a run that ended in 2010 after the Warriors captured their first-ever district championship. In his last six years as head coach at Smithville, the Warriors gathered a .688 win percentage while marching to five district championship games. Tingler was named Smithville's coach for a second time in April, a position he will continue in the 2015 season, which begins in the fall semester. "Steve's high-school success shows his abilities as a head coach, and we are excited to see him continue the tradition he's helped build here at Park," English said. "Losing Amy Reif is certainly tough to do, but we know that what she has worked so hard to build is in good hands." In his seven seasons with the Pirates, Tingler has been primarily responsible for working with the outfielders and serving as the team's first-base coach. His responsibilities also included hitting and base-running. "I am very excited to be named the head coach at Park University," Tingler said. "It is a tremendous honor to be working for such an institution as Park and to be taking over a softball program that is one of the better ones in the country.  We've been in or near the top 25 the last few years, but it is also a big challenge to continue what Amy has developed." Reif is the winningest coach in school history by nearly 200 wins, 95 ahead of Rhonda Miles, who is second on the all-time wins list with 73. Reif, with help from Tingler, has also coached more than 40 all-conference honorees, an All-American in Jamie Tanno (2012-2013), and the program's first-ever Capital One Academic All-American of the Year, Callie Beaver, who was also a two-time all-conference honoree and a two-time Academic All-District award winner from 2012 to 2015. "The program's success really took off when Steve came on board," Reif said. "When I met with the kids, I told them that to call this a family decision is really unfair, because they're my family too. But, the only thing that gave me any comfort in the decision was knowing Steve would be there to take the head coaching position." Park's softball program is among the highest in the Department of Athletics for academic achievement, earning a 3.0 or better grade point average and the NAIA's designation as a Scholar Team in all 10 seasons under Reif's tutelage. "I told the players that I will miss Amy more than anyone and I made her promise not to change her phone number or refuse to take my calls," Tingler joked. "She has the best softball mind that I have ever been around with a great feel for the game and great relationship with the players.  I have learned so much from her.  I will continue to recruit the type of players we have always had:  great character, great students, and athletic, hard workers.  Much of the philosophy that I will use in practice and games will be what I have learned the past several years coaching with Amy." Reif, who will leave the program June 30, is 32 wins shy of 300 with a conference championship, and second place finishes in each of the last three seasons in the American Midwest Conference. Reif says she won't miss the wins, the championships, or the success on the field nearly as much as the people donning the Park University uniform, representing the program. "Seeing those student-athletes every day and just being there for them made me want to come to work. They're the reason I'm here, and again, they're family," Reif said. "I was going through files and I have one file where I put cards and letters and other things players sent to me over the years. It was a little overwhelming, seeing all of the friendships I've formed with alumni over the last 10 years. The kids are the reason you do a job like this, but I'll be able to stay connected with them. We made lifelong friendships and that's something you can always take away, even after your time is over with a program." Tingler, who will begin his duties as Park's next head softball coach July 1, resides in Smithville, with his wife, Diana. He has two sons Jerad and Jayce, a coach for the Texas Rangers. Jayce was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays after a standout collegiate career at the University of Missouri, playing four minor league seasons before managing and coaching in the Rangers' system for another eight. Tingler also has two grandsons, Gabe and Gio. Tingler will remain head coach at Smithville in the 2015 (fall) season.