A staple in the game, Colleen grew up on the Southwest side. She attended Grimes Elementary School and graduated from Lourdes High School. She began playing softball at 7 years of age in the Clearing neighborhood. At the age of 17, she began coaching. She formed a neighborhood team of close friends in the Lawler Park Girls Softball League. She spent the next 3 years perfecting her craft. In 1991 she formed the Hangovers Women’s 16” Softball Team. She recruited a strong group of young females in their early 20’s and the team played in Lawler Park, McKinley Park, Normandy Park, Commissioners Park (Bridgeview), Newcastle Park (Burbank), Commissioners Park (Alsip), Martin Park (Hickory Hills) and Kennedy. During this time, they also began to play in major tournaments. For the next 29 years, Colleen continued to recruit players at the highest level, preparing them for battle, while maintaining the integrity of the game. She led her Hangover team to win over 450 games and approximately 40 tournaments. Colleen’s Hangover team was inducted into the 16” Softball Hall of Fame in April of 2019 and she still continues to coach today.
