Intelligent power management company Eaton announced that Alicia Smith, design manager, Engine Air Management, Eaton’s Vehicle Group, is a 2023 inductee into the Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Smith, who has served 20 years at Eaton, received the honor for her outstanding contributions to the sport coaching Mattawan High School softball to five conference championships, 12 district championships, four final four appearances, one state finalist and two state championships.
“Alicia shows the same kind of leadership and desire to succeed here at Eaton as she does on the softball field,” said Nathan Batts, director of engineering, Engine Air Management, Eaton’s Vehicle Group. “Alicia’s team at Eaton is extremely proud of this richly deserved recognition.”
Prior to beginning her 25-year coaching career, Smith was a scholarship softball player at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Following her college career, she began coaching high school softball at the request of a friend who was seeking a junior varsity coach. After a couple of years coaching junior varsity, Smith took over the varsity team and never looked back.
“I enjoy coaching for the relationships I build with kids and their families. It truly has been my honor representing Mattawan High School and for the past 25 years and help so many young female athletes become strong, independent, resilient young women,” Smith said. “I’ve heard from many later in life that reach out and say, ‘what you taught me helped me through a particular situation’ and it’s satisfying.”
Smith, who manages Eaton’s Vehicle Group design team for Engine Air Management products in Marshall, Michigan, and Torino, Italy, says she carries the lessons she learned from coaching to her work life, and vice versa
“Lessons you can learn from sports include leadership, resiliency, never giving up, teamwork, being the best version of yourself and belief that you can do hard things,” she said. “All of these are important for young females to learn, particularly when they move on to their chosen careers.”