New Coach for E.H.H.S. Softball Varsity

Kathy Amicucci, East Hampton High School's new varsity softball coach, says she is looking forward to meeting the team, developing a culture of hard work, and playing some good softball this coming spring.

Ms. Amicucci was appointed by the East Hampton School Board on Nov. 4. The board once again hired Nicole Fierro, a standout East Hampton alumna who has also coached soccer here, as the team's assistant coach, and hired Molly Nolan, another former Bonac softball star and the school's current jayvee volleyball coach, as the jayvee softball coach. Their appointments were unanimous.

Some in the community have continued to push for the reinstatement of the former varsity coach, Lou Reale, who has said he was pressured to resign. Ms. Amicucci, who coached the Pierson High School jayvee softball team in 2007 and 2009, said by phone on Monday that she did not know anything about the situation with Mr. Reale, and thinks it is better that way.

"The bonus is, it's a completely new, fresh start, and that's what I'm looking forward to," she said. "We can say, that happened, and now let's go play ball. The girls can ask me a million questions about it, and my answer will be, 'I don't know. Let's focus on moving forward.'"

Ms. Amicucci played two seasons of softball at Bergen Community College in New Jersey, where she was a first baseman and an outfielder, in 1998 and 2000. A broken leg caused her to take a year off in between. She finished a degree in psychology from William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J., and moved to Springs 12 years ago. She has a son, 7, at the Springs School, where she previously worked as a substitute teacher before accepting a position at Picket Fences Day Care in East Hampton earlier this year. Ms. Amicucci plays on the Provisions team in the East Hampton Women's Softball League.

"I'm looking forward to being in the East Hampton program, maintaining enthusiasm, and just getting the girls excited to play and work hard," she said, adding that she likes "watching kids learn things."

"I like being a part of kids' learning, whether it's at the day care or up at the high school. . . . Just watching them 'get it' is very satisfying."

Joe Vasile-Cozzo, East Hampton's athletic director, said that Ms. Amicucci "came highly recommended" from Pierson.

"We spoke a long time and I thought that she was a good fit. I'm very happy to have her on board,"