TRAVERSE CITY — Juli Tiesworth thought her days of coaching high school softball were behind her.
The former Traverse City West head coach has coached the 231 Fusion travel team along with a Traverse Area Girls Softball squad and runs GritShop, a softball training facility between Traverse City and Kingsley.
She returned to the high school level last year as an assistant coach at Traverse City Central, under Nate Alger.
Then Alger — who also serves as Grand Traverse County administrator — stepped down early this year as his county job took more and more of his time.
The Trojans hired Tiesworth to succeed Alger just before this spring’s season started up.
“I wasn’t certain I’d ever coach high school again,” Tiesworth said. “I was grateful when coach Alger offered me a position as an assistant last year. I was pretty excited that after competing against him for a couple years that he wanted me on his staff.”
Tiesworth, a 1998 Flushing graduate and 2002 Michigan State grad, coached at Traverse City West from 2011-17 at various levels, including several as head coach.
She also served on the board of Traverse Area Girls Softball for three years, recently submitting her resignation after taking the Central job.
“I just like coaching kids,” Tiesworth said. “When they come to GritShop, I don’t care what colors they wear. It’s like you’re adopting them to your team.”
She’s coached several current Trojans, including Grace Cary, Audrey Williams and Anika Peterson.
Alger retired early this year, and Central posted the job and conducted multiple rounds of interviews just two weeks before the first practice.
“We feel super fortunate that Juli was willing and able to do it,” Central athletic director Justin Thorington said. “Great experience, great local connections in the softball world.”
The Trojans have a fairly young team, led by senior catcher and Ohio State commit Cary and senior pitcher Williams, a Mott Community College commit.
The Trojans also have senior outfielder Hayden Boonstra back to join Cary and Williams as leaders, and senior Gracie DeBenedetto, although the latter is currently injures and out until May.
Central has three juniors in infielders Anna Tabaczka, Anika Peterson and Rachel Poortenga, plus returning sophomore pitcher/third baseman Kayla Noble and four incoming freshmen — outfielders Kallie Kloosterman and Elodie Curtis, first base/outfield Julia Brady and utility player Eden Kitzmiller to round out a roster of just 12 players.
“She’s super competitive and has a vision for how to bring that out in our kids,” Thorington said of Tiesworth. “But she also develops good people through softball.”
Tiesworth, who also coached skiing at Flushing and Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood before moving to Traverse City, hopes to build more synergy with the younger levels of the program.
Along with returning assistant coach Lisa Peoples, Tiesworth added Kyle Kitzmiller as an assistant who is also overseeing the middle school program.
Central is hosting a “Future Trojan” softball event May 9 for players in grades 4-6 that includes instruction and games.
Alger, a Central grad who played on the 1988 state championship football team, coached the Trojans for the last 10 seasons, guiding the team to its only three district championships in program history (2017, 2022, 2024).
The Trojans open the season April 2 at Jenison.