Swedesboro’s Melanie Grubb is honored as Little League softball coach of the year

Melanie Grubb initially volunteered to be a Little League coach for her daughter Madison, who’s now a sophomore on the Holy Family University softball team. Fourteen years later, Grubb is still part of the Swedesboro Woolwich Little League in Gloucester County.

She has carved a name for herself in the community, serving as a coach and league president, and has impacted more than 500 players. She’s now coaching her youngest daughter, Brooklyn, on the team for 11- and 12-year-olds.

Her commitment has not gone unnoticed.

Grubb, who lives in Swedesboro and works at an accounting firm in Mount Laurel, was honored as Little League’s 2024 softball coach of the year. She was honored Saturday at the Little League World Series Tournament in South Williamsport, Pa.

“It’s unbelievable. I was completely speechless when I won the award,” Grubb said. “I’ve been coaching for 14 years, and it’s a wonderful experience. Little League is my life, outside of my immediate family.

“They need positive people in their life. They’re in a hard time right now, and I think that sometimes Little League is the out for kids to play a positive role in their life.”

Grubb will receive a $5,000 donation on behalf of Lance Sandwich Crackers, a sponsor of the Little League World Series, to support programs for the league. The money is designated to the softball program specifically, Grubb said.

She plans to use some of the funds to hold clinics at the field to help with player development.

“Pitching is very hard in softball at this age,” she said. “If you don’t start young, it’s hard to be able to throw strikes. [The donation] is a lot of money that you can do a lot of good things with.”

Swedesboro Woolwich Little League coaches and players surprised Grubb with the news. She isn’t one who gets surprised easily, but they pulled it off. Grubb was under the impression that a board member needed equipment from the league’s shed — that was until she arrived to see several people standing on the field.

“When I looked into the crowd, it wasn’t just my Little League kids there. It was the kids that I had coached 14 years ago,” Grubb said. “There was everybody — families, parents, grandparents, my board members. It was a wonderful moment in my life. I was so happy to have all these people there to share it with me.”

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Over the years, Grubb has seen the league grow to include more children and teams. Her coaching values, however, have remained the same. The most important lesson she tries to instill in children is sportsmanship.

At that age, the game is bigger than being able to throw a strike or hit a homer. Building confidence, teamwork, and respect, Grubb said, are values that apply to life.

“There was a girl I coached years ago when we were in the state tournament, and she wasn’t very nice to her dad,” she said. “She yelled at her dad, and I said to her, ‘You can’t do that.’ I made the decision that she’s not going to pitch because I don’t like the way that she talked to her dad, and it’s not going to get her anywhere talking like that.

“Maybe it wasn’t the best choice as a coach for me to win the game, but the girl now is playing ball in college. She respects her dad, and she has turned into a beautiful, young woman that is still playing the game that she loved.”

Watching children grow is one of Grubb’s favorite parts of being a coach. It’s also a place where she has bonded with both daughters.

“My oldest coached the All-Star team with me for my youngest,” Grubb said. “That was a pretty cool experience to have both my girls together, one on the coaching staff with me, and one playing. There’s so much time you spend together that you’ll hold onto forever.”

Grubb isn’t used to being in the spotlight, but the accomplishment means her community and team are sharing it with her, too.

And it’s a reminder of how important Little League is for children.

“They’re out to there to enjoy the time with their friends, laugh, and have a good time,” Grubb said. “I feel like every kid needs not necessarily a coach, but somebody that’s always going to be a positive in their lives. We need people that make an impact on children.”