Iowa City Liberty AD Mike Morrison will serve as interim softball coach in 2022

NORTH LIBERTY — Mike Morrison assumed his coaching days were done.

“This wasn’t on my radar,” he said.

That changed Monday, due to “unforeseen circumstances.”

Jeff Kelley, who had coached Iowa City Liberty’s softball team for the program’s first four seasons, resigned suddenly on the first day of practice.

It’s a personnel issue, so Morrison — the school’s athletics director — couldn’t share more, but he did forward an email that he sent the school’s softball families:

“Due to unforeseen circumstances in his family life, (Kelley) does not believe he can fulfill the demands the position requires this season. We appreciate his time and service in starting the Liberty softball program.”

Shortly thereafter, Morrison named an interim coach for 2022:

Mike Morrison.

“I figure I can step in, keep the program running in the right direction,” he said. “Then my goal is to find the right person with the passion to take over in the future.

“I don’t think this could be any more interim than it is.”

Morrison was the head baseball coach at West Delaware for 21 years, winning a state championship in 2007. He coached at Central Lee for three years before that.

He was “a softball dad” at West Delaware, coaching a spring travel team.

“Pitching, obviously, is a lot different in softball. It’s a faster game and a smaller diamond, but fundamentally, everything else is fairly similar,” he said.

Liberty posted an 81-69 record in Kelley’s four seasons, including 24-16 in 2021.

Ten players started at least 20 games last season, and seven of them return for 2022. The Lightning are No. 10 in The Gazette’s preseason area Super Ten.

“I had a blast (at practice) Monday,” Morrison said. “I love to teach, and this is a teaching opportunity.”

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com