Softball was always the sport Sandra Sanford looked forward to when she was growing up in Connecticut.

Now she’s got a reason to look forward to it again.

Sanford, 46, has been named the varsity softball coach at Yarmouth High.

A former coach at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, Sanford was a volunteer assistant for Amy Ashley last spring. Ashley is now the athletic director at Cheverus.

That experience played a big factor in her decision to return to coaching. She resigned from Allegheny in 2012.

“It’s the only reason I’m doing it, it’s the only reason I thought about doing it,” she said. “They’re just such great kids. I thoroughly enjoyed working with them. They’re fun. They can play.”

Yarmouth finished 13-5 last year, advancing to the Class B South semifinals. Only four players graduated from that team.

“This is a fantastic fit,” said Yarmouth Athletic Director Susan Robbins. “She’s got great credentials and when Amy stepped away, I did a little arm twisting. We worked around her schedule and I think it’s a great match. She’s got a great relationship with the kids and that will help her hit the ground running.”

Sanford, who played college softball at UConn, had a record of 176-160-1 at Allegheny, going 27-11-1 her final year.

She believes in strong fundamental play and making sure the players have fun.

“I think athletics is a great tool to teach kids how to be good citizens, good employees and good and loyal and committed people, in general,” she said.

Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or:

mlowe@pressherald.com

Twitter: MikeLowePPH