Jack Barron is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Basha High School for AZPreps365.com

A Basha Bear through and through, head coach Kailey Pomeroy has rebuilt her alma mater into
one of the best softball programs in the country.

Pomeroy recently started her third season at the helm after leading Basha to the 6A state title
last season. She’s always loved coaching and helping young players develop, but it means
more at Basha.

“You could tell this is her home and she loves it here and she played here,” senior infielder
Gabriella Garcia said. “So there's just a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that run deep in this
program, and she's a main reason and a big part of that.”

Pomeroy played at Basha from 2009 to 2012. In her freshman year, she didn’t see the field
much and mostly patrolled the outfield. Pomeroy sat behind Sam Parlich who would go on to
play four seasons at the Arizona State University. Watching Parlich helped Pomeroy learn more
about the fundamentals of softball and prepare for a larger role the next season.

Basha made it to the state quarterfinals game in her sophomore year and finished as state
runner-up in her last two seasons. Pomeroy’s time at Basha is one reason her players have so
much respect for her.

“We know she's been through tough coaches like we've had, the tough practices, the long
nights, the early mornings,” Addyson Borg said. “So, she's been through all that and she's
earned herself the respect that she has now because she's played through all that.”

Even though she was part of a greatly successful team, Pomeroy didn’t attract much interest
from college programs. She never had an offer from ASU or Arizona, and took her only official
visit to Grand Canyon University. Pomeroy fell in love with GCU’s campus and former head
coach Ann Pearson.

“I wanted to hit as a pitcher,” Pomeroy said. “I knew going in that ASU or UA probably wouldn't
have that. So I just took my first visit and then they made an offer and I took that.”

Her first two years of college were rocky as she couldn’t keep her grades up or manage her
time. Things started turning in the right direction later on at GCU. For one, Pomeroy credits her
husband as a catalyst of change in her life. Michael Pomeroy played first base and outfield at
GCU from 2012 to 2015.

“I met him my junior year, and he's a big part of what flipped me to where I was able to apply
myself and figure out my grades and all that,” Pomeroy said.

Before leaving GCU, Pomeroy earned her first coaching with Firecrackers-AZ during her junior
year. Pomeroy played for GCU when her players were in school and coached when her season was over. Pomeroy made such an impression on her players that they filled the stands for her
senior night game.

Pomeroy has put people first at every stop of her coaching career. Her favorite part of coaching
is working with young players who are eager to learn. Pomeroy’s tenure at Basha has allowed
her to focus on molding young players into upstanding people. Seasons are long and the
offseasons are longer, but Pomeroy still loves seeing players grow up before her eyes.

“There's never a day whether she's going through something hard personally that she doesn't
show up for us and she always pushes us to be our best no matter what she's feeling,” senior
pitcher Natalie Fritz said.

Pomeroy returned to her alma mater in 2019 as a pitching coach before being named the
program’s head coach in 2021. Since then, Pomeroy has led the Bears to back-to-back winning
seasons and a state championship. Basha has high hopes for this season because of the
team’s skilled senior class and depth at every position.

When she’s not coaching, Pomeroy focuses on her two young children she’s slowly turning into
future players. Pomeroy stays busy coaching full-time at Basha while also giving lessons on the
side. She’s thought about what she’d do if a college wanted her to coach, but family and Basha
will keep her in the program for years to come.

“I plan to stay and I joke with the kids that 10 years from now I hope you guys come back and
say ‘Hey, coach, it's time for you to retire, we're ready,’” Pomeroy said. “And I would love to
hand it off to another alum.”