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Central Mountain softball head coach Fred Caldwell resigned as the lead of the Wildcats program, the Keystone Central School District school board announced at a meeting a few weeks ago. Caldwell, who began his tenure with the Wildcats during the 2018-19 school year, logged five official seasons not including the COVID-19 season in 2020.
His final appearance came in a hard-fought state tournament loss to Thomas Jefferson in a 9-8 PIAA Class 5A Semifinal game. Caldwell reached quite the amount of success in his time at Central Mountain-- particularly over the past few seasons. Caldwell helped the Wildcats to three consecutive District 6 Class 5A titles, three consecutive Pennsylvania Heartland Athletic Conference (PHAC) Championships (or at least a share) and three consecutive state tournament appearances.
"The biggest factor was family. I have four grandkids playing ball and it is important to me that I be there and be a part of their time playing ball and I can't do that when I'm coaching school ball," Caldwell told The Express. "It became increasingly difficult the older they got, so I just decided this is the time. It's to be a grandfather."
One of Caldwell's more defining moments this season was overcoming a stinging lost to Armstrong two seasons ago. With a group of 10 seniors, a majority seeking that revenge alongside coach Caldwell, it was a way to get revenge but it was also a historical measure, leaving the Central Mountain program in good hands with its rooted upperclassmen.
Before he made his way to Mill Hall, Caldwell served as Bellefonte's head softball coach and led the Raiders to a District 6 Class 4A Championship and before that he led the reins at Penn State-Altoona. Caldwell helped coach the Raiders to an 18-5 overall record (11-3 in Mountain League) in the 2016-17 season before a 16-4 overall record (11-3 Mountain League) record. Caldwell also helped both teams make state tournament appearances in back-to-back seasons.
Seeing the pinnacle of success is one of Caldwell's goals as he coaches. But he also embraces the power of a team itching to dig out of the trenches, if you will. Caldwell was not presented with that issue with Central Mountain, but that is how he got there.
Caldwell's seven seasons at Bellefonte were not always the peak of that program. And he turned Penn State Altoona's regular season successful program to a regular season and postseason success team.
Making Central Mountain his third stop, building from the ground up was the goal, and Caldwell proved he would not stop until winning was an established precedent.
"I started out with Bellefonte. I was there for seven years and then I left and went to Penn State Altoona and honestly, it was a struggling program," Caldwell explained. "And that's one of the things I like. I like the challenge of trying to build a program. They (PSU Altoona) won seven games the year before I got there and we ended up competing in the conference championship and we did eventually win two conference titles and got into regionals.
"The same thing kind of happened at Bellefonte. It was a program that was down just a little bit. Still a good program but down a little bit. The experience of building programs and strengthening them really helped," Caldwell added. "And it worked out well at Central Mountain for sure."
Caldwell completes his stint at Wildcat head coach with an overall record of 64-21. Central Mountain has drastically improved each year he has coached. The Wildcats were ranked 119th in the state his first season, made a massive jump to 34th ranked in the 2020-21 season, 12th in 2021-22, 15th in '22-23 and this past season finished with an 18th state ranking.
The accolades and district banner years are solidified in Central Mountain's gymnasium and within the program's softball history. Caldwell helped create much of that history brick-by-brick. The consecutive PHAC titles, district and state tournament appearances did not happen overnight, especially when Caldwell first arrived.
In Caldwell's first season, getting to districts was the norm, and the Wildcat faithful were fine with that. While Caldwell appreciated that accomplishment, he strived to make the program more than what it currently was-- for the program's, his players and his own sake.
He embraced that challenge, something he has done most of his coaching career. One of the area's great softball coaches has hung his hat up.
"I'm very pleased with the six years," Caldwell said when asked about how his coaching stint with the Wildcats went. "I came into the program in 2018 and my goal at that time was to try and create a winning culture where winning became the norm and we were expected to win.
"I think we accomplished that in the last three years. We won district titles, conference titles (and) they have been very successful. I think that pattern is there and I'm sure they will continue to be successful down the road."