Head Coach, Tom Meneskie: Varsity Girls Softball

Tom Meneskie begins his first year as head coach of the Peddie varsity girls softball team.

“I am pleased to graciously accept the position and follow in the footsteps of some great coaches that preceded me,” Meneskie said. “I am looking forward to beginning this new chapter in my life.”

But he is no stranger to Peddie Athletics. Meneskie began working at Peddie in September 2018 as a part-time equipment manager and was welcomed into the Peddie family instantly. The position quickly grew into being full-time and his responsibilities in the community grew as well.

After his son graduated in 2020, he decided to devote more time at Peddie and begin coaching at the high school level. Coaching opportunities presented themselves with both the Peddie thirds boys basketball team and junior varsity boys basketball team. After spending a year at both those positions, an opportunity arose at Hightstown High School and Meneskie spent two successful years as head coach of the varsity softball team.

His coaching career began 21 years ago, when like most parents, at the time his daughter turned five years old, he signed her up for tee-ball and soccer at local PAL leagues.

His daughter played many sports such as baseball, softball, basketball and soccer, at the youth level. It was then he discovered about himself that he had a passion for teaching these games that he grew up playing and competing in.

A few years later when his son began playing sports, he chose a different level of competition, travel ball. These teams were a bit more competitive and fueled Meneskie’s desire to coach at a higher level. Meneskie and his son traveled across the country playing competitive baseball from ages 10-15. Meneskie coached teams both in New Jersey and Pittsburgh, where he was born and raised.

“Sports teams in Pittsburgh were always hard-working and exciting to watch and cheer for,” Meneskie said. “My background growing up in a small town with a father who worked in the steel mill is where my love of sports comes from. The Pittsburgh Steelers, blue-collar, always playing for the team. The Pittsburgh Pirates who in the 1970’s and 80’s prided themselves with the ‘We are Family’ slogan. Finally, the Pittsburgh Penguins whose Stanley Cup champion teams of the 1990’s and the 2000’s were legendary.”