Ratledge passes on Kelly softball tradition to stepdaughter

Coaches and players often call their team members family, but for Kelly softball coach Rhonda Ratledge and third baseman Samantha Ratledge it means more.

"I don't see her as my stepdaughter ever," Rhonda Ratledge said. "She's my daughter through and through."

Rhonda Ratledge has been Samantha's stepmom and softball coach since she was about 5 years old.

"Softball's always been a part of my life, so when she was little of course we put her in the Babe Ruth League, and I kind of coached those little girls from there on," Rhonda Ratledge said. "And she took a liking to it, played well, fielded well -- she throws like a boy -- so definitely I could see that softball athleticism in her.

"Sam's just got that natural talent, athleticism, and I absolutely -- whether I'm coaching or just sitting on the sides -- love to watch her play. It doesn't matter what sport it is. She's just a great kid all the way around, and I'm blessed to have a kid like that."

Rhonda, left, and Samantha Ratledge, who are stepmother and stepdaughter as well as player and coach, pose for a portrait Monday at Kelly High School. (Adam Vogler)

Ratledge, who began coaching at Kelly in 1993, helped make Samantha the softball player she is today.

The Ratledges played out in the yard and worked on pitching, catching and trying to find Samantha's main fielding position. Samantha lives with her dad and stepmother near Kelso, but visits her mom in Cape Girardeau a few times a week.

"She's taught me everything I know about softball, and as a parent she's always there to pick me up, too," Samantha said of her stepmom. "It's more of a closer relationship -- since she is my parent -- as a coach because she can push me harder than some of the other girls.

"I think she feels she has the right to, like, 'That's my child, I can push her a little bit more,'" Samantha said with a laugh.

Rhonda Ratledge knows that she treats Samantha differently than other players but has tried to limit that.

Kelly’s Samantha Ratledge slides into home in the second inning of the Hawks’ 11-1, five-inning, run-rule win over the St. Vincent Indians in the Class 2 District 1 Championship game Oct. 11 at Kelly High School in Benton, Mo. (Adam Vogler)

"Over the years, I guess before she got into high school, I realized you had to lay off all the, 'Why'd you do this?' or 'You did that,' and you kind of have to lay off of some of that and treat her like you would the other girls," Rhonda Ratledge said. "Because on that ride home not all the other 12 or 13 girls are on the ride home with you, so you kind of have to treat her that way. It's helped because I don't want her to hate it."

The family still talks on rides home after games but not as much as they used to.

Rhonda Ratledge makes sure that she tells Samantha the good things she does on the field and not just what she needs to fix. She noted that just the other day she made sure to compliment her baserunning in Kelly's quarterfinal win against Willow Springs on Saturday after Samantha scored from first base.

With that dominating 20-0 victory over Willow Springs, the Hawks secured a spot in the state final four in back-to-back seasons.

The Hawks play against South Callaway at 10 a.m. Friday at the Killian Softball Complex in Springfield, a game that marks the program's 15th final four appearance since 1980 -- and seventh in the last 10 years.

That tradition is something that Samantha experienced even as a child.

She regularly attended Kelly softball games growing up and even played catch with the high schoolers while they were warming up.

"She never missed them," Rhonda Ratledge said. "She never missed a game. Ever. She was at the final fours with us. She was at every ballgame. Yeah, she never missed a one. I guess you could say she grew up a Kelly Lady Hawks softball fan."

Samantha was nervous to play softball in high school because of the successful teams she'd watched growing up.

"But then again I kind of felt I was ready because I'd already experienced them," Samantha said, "even if it was just from the bleachers and the dugout. ... I think being at those games always gave me something to look forward to, and I always looked up to the softball girls."

Samantha's 3-year-old half-sister -- her father and Rhonda Ratledge's daughter -- Brailey seems to be following directly in her footsteps.

"She's not missed a game yet," Rhonda Ratledge said. "She's not missed a state yet. She was at state when she was 3 months old.

"You look forward to that and you just hope that she loves softball as much as I do. But if she doesn't, she doesn't. It'll be a sad day for the Ratledge family, but that's her choice."

Samantha hopes her sister likes softball and has plans for her to play it as she gets older.

"We're already getting her started," Samantha said. "We're not going to push her into it obviously if she doesn't enjoy it, but I think she wants to be a Lady Hawk one day and hopefully she can be."

Brailey, who spends most of her time in Kelly's dugout during games, cheers on the Hawks and could be considered Samantha's good luck charm.

"It's kind of a tradition," Samantha said. "She's usually over by the fence when I'm up to bat and I go over and she gives me a high-five that's supposed to, you know, help me do good," Samantha Ratledge said. "She's always encouraging us, even if it's just, 'Go ladies!' and stuff like that ... She's our little mascot."