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Edmond Santa Fe softball defeated Del City in a 11-0 run rule Monday, but when Wolves’ players, fans and coaches gathered onto their home field following the final out, they weren’t celebrating the win.
Wolves’ head softball coach Rhonda Lawson, who announced prior to the season that she would be retiring from coaching at the conclusion of the 2024 campaign, was honored by the school for her 30-plus years of service to Edmond Santa Fe softball and Edmond Public Schools.
Fans and spectators stuck around to honor the legendary coach, who was joined by her family, friends and dozens of former players. Lawson’s coaching accomplishments were played over the stadium speakers as well as some tributes from her loved ones as she shared tears and hugs with everyone.
Lawson said she never expected to have anything like that happen for her when she first started her coaching career.
“It’s overwhelming,” Lawson said, fighting back tears. “Just so many people here. I just feel so loved and appreciated.”
The Wolves’ longtime coach wants to step away from the game in order to spend more time with her children and grandchildren.
“Just being with my family, my girls, my grand kids, just all of them. I’m going to miss my softball family, but they’re my whole world.”
Lawson has coached Santa Fe softball since 1998 and has been in Edmond Public Schools since 1992, coaching over 1,000 games with over 550 career wins. She served as an assistant coach during the school’s first year of existence in 1992, then left to be an assistant at Edmond Memorial two years later before finally returning to Santa Fe.
Prior to her coaching days, Lawson attended and played softball at Edmond Memorial where she graduated in 1980. She played collegiately at the University of Central Oklahoma, earning All-District 9 honors twice and All-America honors her senior year as one of the top Division II softball players in the country. The team’s star catcher, Lawson finished her career at UCO with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with no errors.
She was inducted into the UCO Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.
Lawson has been named All-State softball coach twice during her career at Santa Fe. When asked what it is about ESFHS and the Wolves’ softball program that is so special to her, she sang praises for the school she’s worked for the last 26 years.
“The fact that they just allowed me here and allowed me to be me and to coach the sport I love. The administration, the athletic directors, they have all supported me every step of the way. They’ve just been fabulous to me. I just feel honored to be a part of the Santa Fe Wolf family.”
Monday’s game itself lasted only three-and-a-half innings, just over an hour. Santa Fe knocked in seven runs in the first inning as 5A Del City was outmatched in every facet of the game. By the end of the third, the Wolves’ held a 11-0 lead with only two hits given up before the game was called in the fourth inning.
Lawson was awarded with an Edmond Santa Fe plaque and a table display of cake, cookies and other treats. Wolves’ players also played Monday’s game donning pink jerseys with the hashtag #Play4Lawson on the back nameplate.
When asked what she would tell her younger self if she could go back in time to when she first started her head coaching career, Lawson said: “Just stay true to yourself. And I feel like I have for the most part throughout. I’ve always tried to show every girl that ... Click here to read full article
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