With the beginning of fall play rapidly approaching, Southwest Softball Coach Shea Johnson needed to fill an open slot in his coaching staff…and he did not have to look far to do so.
Enter Callie Venable. The former Silliman and Jones College softball star is joining Johnson’s staff and will coach middle infielders, a position she played.
“I’m extremely excited,” she said. “I have always wanted to be able to give back to the game that gave so much to me. When this opportunity arose, I really couldn’t say no. I loved my time playing in the junior college league. There are a lot of special people in the league and that I can make an impact here with the other coaches that are on staff.”
In addition to Coach Johnson, Venable will be working with Coach Michael Clements who returns for his third season with Lady Bear softball.
For Venable, taking the job with the Lady Bears was also a chance for her to fulfill a want of moving back to Mississippi.
She brings a wealth of knowledge of the game, one that she has been involved with since the sixth grade. During her senior year at Silliman, Venable helped deliver a State Championship for the Lady Wildcats.
The success continued on for Venable as she moved on to the junior college ranks. She was a part of the 2018 National Championship team at Jones.
“It was an experience that I really can’t even put into words,” she said. “I loved my time there.”
Following her time at Jones, Venable finished up her undergrad at Southern Miss getting her degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences. In the Summer of 2022, she finished her Masters in Speech Pathology at Southeastern Louisiana University.
Venable’s previous coaching experience centers around former Silliman Coach Trey Weaver. For the past three years she was an assistant under him and was a travel ball coach with him for two summers coaching a pair of teams, one of 18-year-olds and the other 12-year-olds.
Coach Johnson was very pleased to get the opportunity to add Venable to his staff.
“She’s a great kid and brings a bundle of enthusiasm and great knowledge of the game,” he said. “Recruiting-wise you always want a young lady on the squad to help go out. She really knows talent, has played on a high level and has the ability to identify talent at a very-young age. I think that alone with her offense ability, I think that brings a lot to the table also.”