Balancing being a father and coach has been hard for Charleston High softball coach Blain Mayhall. 

She’s playing because she is the coach’s kid. Do I hold her accountable more because she is my daughter? What is the line between too far and too little?

While Mayhall might have been navigating his journey of trying to be both coach and dad, Mayhall’s senior daughter, Maci, was trying to figure out how to be productive and live up to her dad’s expectations. That is why going to state with her dad has to be every father-daughter dream. 

The Not-So-Happy Moments

Ever since Maci was 8 years old, Mayhall has played a part in coaching his daughter in softball. Mayhall took over the CHS/CMS program in 2013, so his coaching days have mirrored the days of travel softball, middle school, and now high school. 

When looking back on those moments, Mayhall was quick to talk about the times he might have overdone it. 

“The way I used to treat her, I’m not proud of,” said Mayhall. “The way I talked to her. I remember a time I pulled her out of a game in middle school in front of everyone. You just don’t do things like that. I had to take a step back and evaluate what I was doing. Our bond has gotten a lot stronger. I think she understood the whole time.”

When asked about those times, Maci responded with a laugh. 

“Yeah, he’s gotten pretty soft,” said Maci

Maci pushed the narrative even further. It had nothing with her dad “softening” up, but more with her knowing that she had a target on her back as the “coach’s kid.” 

“It’s hard being the coach’s kid,” said Maci. “Some think that I played because I was his daughter. I had to live up to it. He has always been my biggest critic, but he has also been my biggest supporter. He pushed me to all my limits and made me a player and the person I am today.”

For her dad, even though the group of seniors qualified for the state tournament in middle school, Mayhall had to take a moment and evaluate how he was going to handle the next four years. 

“After eighth grade, I had to decide what I was going to be after sports,” said Mayhall. “Was I going to be her coach or her father?”

The Coach’s Kid

If you analyze the hand Maci Mayhall was given, it was going to be an uphill battle. 

It’s not a secret that Maci is not very tall at 5 feet 4. Not to mention, if you have seen her dad on the softball diamond or basketball court in the last decade, you know that “passionate” can be mislabeled as a tyrant. 

“It’s never been easy for Maci,” said Mayhall. “She’s always been small. She’s the coach’s kid. Some people might think that is easy. It’s not. They don’t understand. She has always had a target on her back. Whatever it was, this kid put her nose down and did what needed to be done.”

Maybe, a bad game meant hanging out at a friend’s house. Maybe, it meant not talking for a day. But there’s always been a separation between home and diamond for the Mayhall family. 

“I know that I have always been the smallest,” said Maci. “But my personality is one of the biggest. I know I have an attitude. I have energy. I’m competitive and that’s probably why we butt heads.”

So, while others might see it as yelling, Maci has always seen it as accountability. 

“Him yelling at me made me who I am,” said Maci. “We might butt heads sometimes because we are some competitive, but I would not change any of it. I wouldn’t be in this position, if he wasn’t so hard on me.”

Living Up to the Billing

The Trojans were trailing 4-0 in the fifth inning to Mount Zion in the IHSA super sectional last Monday. The way it was looking, it would be the third time that Greg Blakey’s Braves would knock out Mayhall’s CSH team in the postseason. With one out, Maci singled to left-center field and then scored when Brie Tomlinson smacked a triple to right field. 

The energy changed. After a scoreless sixth inning, Mayhall came up huge again in the final frame. She led off the inning by ripping a single to center field and eventually scored when the Mount Zion outfielder mishandled a shallow fly ball hit by Avery Beals, making 4-3. Beals and Olivia Schuette advanced to second and third on the play. 

“This might be a new high score for me,” said Mayhall. “I’ve had some big hits and seeing how proud he is makes it more special.”

For a moment, Mayhall can take his coach’s hat off and admire what his daughter did. 

“It’s a really big deal,” said Mayhall. “I bet a lot of people wouldn’t have expected a rally to start with their No. 8 hitter. What’s been great is knowing how she has contributed at such a high level for us. Last year, she had a breakout year. Maybe, that helped alleviate some of the pressure and help her have more fun. I’m extremely happy she gets to enjoy everything. She deserves it with everything she had to put up with.”

A Second Family

In a way, Mayhall has plenty of daughters. After all, Mayhall has seen this group for a long time dating back to their travel days. Sleepovers, get-togethers, and, of course, softball – the relationships extend past one singular biological kid. 

“With the exception of Karah (Moore) and a couple of juniors, I have had most of these kids since their travel and middle school days. I felt like many of them lived in our house during the summer from ages 9 to 18. Karah played for a different team, but when she got to middle school, we got super close, too. That’s what this is all about. The relationships, bonds, and memories you form.”

While Maci will get to enjoy at least two more games with her dad as a coach, she will relish the opportunity to play with her teammates as well. 

“It’s crazy when you think about it,” said Maci. “This senior class got to go to state as eighth graders. Now, we are in the Final Four. Either way, we are coming back with something. It’s a special senior year for sure.”