Debbie Huntze-Rooney has won a softball game as San Jose City College’s head coach 915 times – far more than any other active female coach in the California community college system.

Huntze-Rooney has been playing softball since she was 5. She carried her love for the sport throughout high school and college, playing both at West Valley College and Chico State University.

After teaching Physical Education classes at Serrano High School in Southern California for three years and not getting a coaching job at Cabrillo College in 1990, the position for softball opened at SJCC and she has been here ever since.

Growing up in the Bay Area, both of Huntze-Rooney’s parents had coaching and teaching jobs in the city of Campbell, respectively. Her dad was a baseball coach and her mom was a teacher.

“I watched him change a lot of people’s lives,” Huntze- Rooney beamed about her father, “so, I was like, I want to do that.”

Sophomore pitcher and first baseman Evangelina Chavarria, says Huntze-Rooney has certainly followed in her father’s footsteps in mastering the mentorship role.

“Last year… I had a bit of a mental block.” Chavarria said. “She’s just been able to be there for me, and not just in school.”

Anytime there is longtime success at a small college, word gets around and larger institutions have historically had an appetite for talented coaches. But to Huntze-Rooney, loyalty is everything.

“Would I want to be in a different school?” she didn’t even give a second thought, “No.”

She has received offers to teach at four-year universities but gave a heartfelt reason not to leave.

“[At SJCC], you get to teach, so not only am I with student-athletes, I am with students … You get the best of both worlds.”

Freshman Tatyana Watson, a tryout for the spring team, has been playing softball since she was 12. She spoke about Huntze- Rooney’s tough, but dedicated care.

“I saw [San Jose City] and I thought it was a perfect match for me, because it pushes players a lot and I needed that.”

It’s clear Huntze-Rooney cares deeply and shows devotion to her softball team. Seeing her team grow, not only as athletes but as young women, drives her to keep coaching. Having an alumni reach out and tell her what they have accomplished keeps her going.

Jayden Vai, a returning softball player, shares how Huntze- Rooney has supported her.

“She took me under her wing, she became our second mom on the field, and any time anything goes wrong, she’s always the first person we call.”

Winning on the diamond is one thing. But winning in life, that’s a choice.

“You get to be here, you don’t have to be here, you get to be here,” Huntze-Rooney told the Times. “You have the option every day to decide.”