Joahan Lopez is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Heritage Academy Laveen for AZPreps365.com

A former Heritage Academy Laveen softball player has returned to coach the JV team, joining the varsity coach she shares an unbreakable bond with due to a family tragedy.

Jaynie Wittman has returned to her alma mater, reuniting with her former coach Steve LaDrigue.

Wittman played under LaDrigue for roughly six years, between high school and her middle school years. 

In those six years, Wittman and LaDrigue have experienced several wins and losses together. The euphoric feeling of winning a middle school state championship and the heartbreak of losing a high school state championship where Wittman was pitching with a broken foot.

But LaDrigue was especially there for Wittman’s biggest loss that is bigger than softball.

In Wittman’s junior year of high school, her father unexpectedly died while the team was playing in a tournament.

“Obviously, you don't get over it,” Wittman said. “It's not something that just goes away, but I think that for the most part we're (the family) doing OK.”

Wittman said LaDrigue was one of the first people to call and tell about her father.

“It was tough because over the years I remember him always being at the games, and you would hear him in the crowd, " LaDrigue said. “To be with her for so long, as another male role model in her life, I just had to be there.”

Shortly after her father's passing, Wittman decided to play in the playoffs her first at-bat, with her father on her mind, tears streamed down her face.

LaDrigue called a timeout and went out to console her.

“I just wanted to give her a minute because I knew it was tough for her to bat for the first time since he passed,” LaDrigue said. “I just told her that he (Wittman's father) was with us and she came through and got a base hit at that moment. It felt like he was there.”

Wittman believes LaDrigue is not just a regular softball coach, he’s more than a lot of his players.

“When my dad passed, it just showed how much that we are not just his players but were like kids to him because he cares so much about us," Wittman said.

Fast forward a few years, Wittman has officially hung her cleats up. She played two years at Glendale Community College and officially retired as a player. 

After she retired from playing, Wittman transferred to ASU as a student. 

But Wittman was not done with the game of softball and transferred to ASU as a student.

Wittman heard rumors about the JV softball coach not returning from her mother, who is heavily involved at Heritage Academy Laveen athletics. 

LaDrigue said he wanted to fill the vacant position with someone he's familiar with and that knows the game well.

LaDrigue called Wittman to offer her the opportunity and Wittman excitedly accepted, LaDrigue said.

In Wittman’s first season of coaching, she is not entirely alone. Wittman’s mother, Jennifer Wittman, has helped her daughter run a few  practices and said she believes her daughter is more than capable of running this team.

"Jaynie has a really good game knowledge of softball,” Jennifer Wittman said. “She knows what Steve (LaDrigue) expects and so they have somebody to lay that groundwork to be able to move up and continue softball at Heritage. I think she's just ready for it.”