Even with the departure of Hanover High softball coach Craig Rineman, familiar faces will still be in the dugout for the Hawkettes.

Jeff Moose, who last coached the Hanover softball team in 1999, is returning to coaching and will guide the Hawkettes in 2009.

And joining him in the dugout will be Rineman, who will be an assistant one year after being head coach.

So the Hawkettes should be somewhat familiar with the new regime.

"That's why I went to him. Nobody knows the team better than he does," Moose said. "He and I are going to be sitting down and going over who's coming back. I know we have three key players we lost last year."

Moose's plan is to not only replace those spots, but to build the Hanover softball program back up in numbers.

He has experience in a similar field.

Since he last coached, Moose has been a part of the USSSA as the fastpitch central and western state director. In that capacity, Moose has set up tournaments all over for teams to come and play.

In that time, Moose has picked up a trick or two and will team with Rineman to host clinics for young players, so younger players will look to play for the Hawkettes.

"He (Rineman) and I have plans to put on clinics to teach fundamentals to put the spark of fastpitch softball in the girls," Moose said.

He also wants to establish a junior varsity program so younger players already in high school have an opportunity to get some playing time.

Hanover

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is coming off a district playoff appearance, in which it fell to Pequea Valley in the semifinals, and does lose just three players, including All-Area player of the year Chelsea Kehr.

So, when the opening came, Moose jumped at the chance to coach his old program. He'd missed coaching for the last 10 years.

"I'm excited to be back," Moose said. "The Hanover softball program has been successful and my goal is to continue that."

Contact Dan Graybill at dgraybill@eveningsun.com.