As Raccoon Valley Radio has noted in recent ADM softball coverage, the Tigers have enjoyed a remarkable turnaround under head coach Rick Dillinger.

In two short seasons, ADM has gone from a team that won 12 games combined between the 2012 and 13 seasons to a program that has made back-to-back appearances in the regional finals. The Tigers have gone 57-16 in two seasons under Dillinger, who just wrapped up his 39th year of head coaching at the high school level by being named the Raccoon River Conference Coach of the Year.

So after two years, does Dillinger feel as though he’s made his mark on the program? That elicited a nuanced answer from Dillinger, a member of the 1,000-win club and multiple high school softball coaching hall of fame always looking to improve his team.

“Well we came into try to try make success, and I think we’ve done that in the two years,” said Dillinger, who guided the Tigers to a 32-5 record and second-place finish in the RRC. “Our goal is still to make the state tournament and win it all, but I don’t know if it’s my stamp more as far as just teaching kids the game of softball. And I think they start to understand more of the game and because they have, we’ve hard more success.

“You know, it’s getting where we want it to be. Is it where we want it to be yet? No. But I think you can say that about any year and any program because you’re always trying to improve that year that you coach.”