Terri Kelly, a long-time leader of Cheltenham High School’s Baseball Parents Association, has taken on fundraisers, senior nights, and administrative details to keep the Cheltenham High School baseball team afloat.
A parent of one graduate and two current student-athletes of the program, the role has been a labor of love.
“We’ve seen it go through a few stages, but Covid decimated the program. There were maybe 15 players and they couldn’t field a JV team,” Terri said. “My husband, other parents and I have taken on these roles to alleviate extra pressures for the coaches.”
Beyond a dearth in participation, Cheltenham baseball has seen its share of recent challenges. In January 2020, the team’s coaching staff resigned prior to the season’s cancellation. Another set of coaches, including Avery Young, a CHS graduate and former player, were able to temporarily fill the void.
2021 saw the 16-member Varsity-only CHS baseball team lose every game—all but four by the Mercy Rule*—with freshmen in the starting lineup. Fundraising was non-existent.
By February 2022, CHS baseball was again without a coaching staff.
It was then that Kevin Hite, Shawn Greene, and Howie Washington, defensive coordinators for CHS’s football team, stepped up.
“The season opener was a month away, so some of the football coaches volunteered to take on the team so that our kids had a season, which was unexpected. We’re so grateful for their help,” Terri said.
More players were recruited and a JV squad was revived. Seniors took on leadership roles and set expectations, and CHS saw two notches in 2022’s “W” column. Parents resumed fundraising efforts, and ended the season with a banquet for the first time in recent memory.
As the current coaches have changed the climate and made their players feel that they’re a part of something, off-season workout participation numbers, particularly among freshmen, have grown to the 40s in 2023. A clinic is in the works for late February/early March.
“Coach Hite has done a fabulous job. It’s starting to gain momentum. The climate is more positive and there are bonds being formed, and they’re moving towards building a better program,” she said.
“We’re small and we don’t have the money that some of these other schools have, but we have that gritty Philly attitude,” Terri said.
As an added hurdle, Cheltenham has had to overcome a revolving door of athletic directors since 2018, including John Creighton, Suni Blackwell, John Seman, and now Patrick Fleury, a CHS alum and current head coach of the boys’ basketball team.
“We’re always optimistic that the newest person is going to be the change for Cheltenham,” she said. “It’s a work in progress. We’re hoping the rest of the story has yet to be told.”
If you’d like to help support CHS baseball’s efforts, you can reach out to chsbaseballpa@gmail.com.
*Mercy Rule explained: In the case of a nine-inning game, if your team (or opponent) is winning by 10 runs after seven innings (or after the top of the sixth if you are the home team) the game ends. The Mercy Rule is in play after five innings (or after the top of the fourth if you are the home team) if your team is ahead by ten runs.