Mary Holden Madgey graduated from Clearview in 1995, and has since then coached two levels of softball
By KRYSTAL NURSE
The Sun
Former Clearview Regional High School softball player Mary Holden Madgey will join 12 other athletes for induction into the Gloucester County Sports Hall of Fame on March 26 following her performance on the high school’s softball team and lengthy coaching career.
On March 26, Madgey will join inductees from various Gloucester County schools or municipalities to be formally admitted into the county’s sports hall of fame at Auletto’s in Deptford. Inductees include NFL players Isaac Redman (Paulsboro) and Ryan D’Imperio (Washington Township), and former Williamstown basketball player Angela Scott, to name a few. Tickets can be purchased by contacting Gus Ostrum at (609) 502–0424.
“I look at who’s being inducted and I think it’s quite an honor,” she said. “I was just a softball player who had some good coaches and players, and I was able to succeed in softball and do what I love.”
During her junior year, she said the team lost only one game out of 23 and was able to secure the All South Jersey title. Despite losing in the state finals, Madgey said she and the team enjoyed the fun of playing for Clearview under former coaches Marilyn Stetser Bennette and Scott Wagner.
“We were one of the first successful softball teams to come out of there and put softball on the map, and it continues to grow,” said Madgey. “Now, they’re a Group IV school, and we (Cherokee High School) get to play them here.”
Following her career at Clearview, Madgey went on to play at Gloucester County College (now Rowan College of Gloucester County) and returned to coach there for five years before becoming a coach at Cherokee in 2003. Madgey has been coaching varsity softball for three years at Cherokee.
On the diamond, she can be seen goofing off with her players, but also provides them with pointers on becoming better athletes and people.
“I had supportive coaches, and that’s what I always wanted to become — to be here not only as a coach, but be supportive of these girls and help them make good decisions, and help them get to where they want to be in life.”
Madgey said she’s friendly with the coaches at Clearview and will often check in at “Pioneer Country” with friends who have students in the district to learn about how things are going.
The veteran coach and softball player said she looks at how Clearview has changed from a school that was shaped like an “E,” to now having multiple corridors and successful sport teams as her home.
“I say now that I do bleed orange and brown (Cherokee’s colors) — never thought I’d ever say that — but I keep up-to-date with athletics and it will always be where I got my start,” she said.
She said her kids still don’t believe she’s being inducted, but they’re excited, and she feels blessed to join the 2019 class.
