Kelly Sylvester completed her first season as an assistant coach of the Penn State Berks softball team in 2014.
The 2014 team went 29-10 overall and 18-2 in conference play. Berks won the south division regular season and went on to win its second straight NEAC Championship to earn a return trip to the NCAA Regional Tournament. At the regional, the Nittany Lions dropped a heartbreaking 5-2 decision to No. 4 ranked and eventual national runner-up Salisbury University.
The 2014 squad had the most explosive offense in program history, leading the nation with an 8.23 runs per game average. They were 14th in the country with a .358 batting average and were 29th with a .496 slugging percentage. The team set the schol record for runs scored (321), hits (399), RBI (275), batting average (.358), doubles (73), home runs (20), slugging percentage (.496), and total bases (552).
Sylvester, a four-sport-athlete, joined fast-pitch softball earlier than most in the Detroit area. At 12, she played outfield and back-up catcher for a 16 &Under fast-pitch regional travel team, Stingers. She captained and caught for the Stingers team that qualified for the 1995 Junior Olympics. Sly and her teammates celebrated four league championships. She earned a starting position on Stingers 18&U team which placed 12th in 1998 Nationals. At Garden City High, Sylvester’s softball awards include: Freshman of the Year; GC’s Iron Man; First Team: All-District and All-Academic; All-Area Honorable Mention.
Due to a significant injury, Sly passed on several scholarship offers. She attended her dream college, Penn State. Sylvester left school to freelance in Manhattan as a theatrical carpenter/welder. She was welding for the Broadway company, Manhattan Theatre Club, when her injury worsened.
Ignited with determination, Sylvester enrolled in Brooklyn College and rehabbed to play her last NCAA eligible season as their starting catcher. She earned a Bachelor of Arts, Linguistics. Her awards include: Dean’s List (all semesters); CUNY Scholar-Athlete; Student-Athlete of the Month; Brooklyn College Scholar-Athlete; Outstanding English Scholar; Bernard Grebanier Best Sonnet; Beatrice Dubin Rose Poetry (Honorable Mention).
Sylvester relocated to Lancaster in 2006. While working for Fulton Theatre, she freelanced as a writer and softball instructor. She joined a co-ed slow-pitch team, where she met her wonderful husband. In 2011, Sylvester started working as Millersville University’s Visual & Performing Arts Graduate Assistant and volunteering in the community. She earned her M.Ed. in Sports Management, Athletic Coaching (2012), in English (2013), and gave the 2013 Graduate & Professional Studies Commencement’s “Moment of Reflection” speech.
American Education Sports Program certified Sylvester in Coaching Principles. She plans to obtain certifications in Personal Training from ACTION and Strength and Conditioning Specialist from NSCA.
