EPCHS Alum In The Spotlight: Megan Pyles, Class Of 2017

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — The recently hired head softball coach at Lyons Township High School in west suburban La Grange found her coaching inspiration as a player for a pair of beloved Evergreen Park Community High School coaches.

Megan Pyles, Class of 2017, said playing for former EPCHS Softball Head Coach John O’Connor her freshman and sophomore years in the mid 2010s were “probably two of my favorite seasons of softball.”

“OC always pushed us to be better than we thought we were and kept us on our toes,” Pyles said. “We had a lot of talent on our team, but he always pushed us to be better as if we had something to prove to each other. Starting on varsity as a freshman gave me so much confidence in my playing ability, which really sparked my drive to become a leader in that program.”

Current EPCHS Softball Head Coach Michelle Vucsko, who took helm of the program in Pyles’ junior year, gave her another role model to look up to for softball advice.

“I was so excited to finally play for a young female who had college playing experience as I always had male coaches growing up,” Pyles said. “To this day, I would say a majority of my coaching style was inherited from interactions my teammates and I had with Coach V. I will always value how innovative and honest she was no matter what aspect of softball we were talking about. Her passion for the game truly inspired me to begin coaching, and much of what she taught me over my two years with her has stuck with me into my coaching career.”

Interestingly, Pyles said one of her favorite memories as a student at EPCHS had nothing to do with softball.

“I’ll never forget when our football team beat Richards at the buzzer my freshman year,” she said. “I was a varsity cheerleader this year and was on the sidelines and just remember how incredibly wild this game was. It came down to penalty flags at the end of the game, and winning that game meant we won conference.

“Being around that kind of energy as a freshman gave me this love for the school that will never leave. All of the teachers at EPCHS are great. They made my experience at EP so memorable!”

Before coaching, Pyles herself had a collegiate softball career pitching and playing shortstop for Moraine Valley Community College. She transferred to Northern Illinois University and wound up at Saint Xavier University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in sports and fitness administration.

Ever since her SXU graduation, Pyles has worked for the Codilis & Associates, P.C. law firm and coached travel softball. Her next challenge is leading the program at Lyons Township to new heights.

“The travel team that I coach for practices at LT during the winter season, so I have been familiar with the school for a few years,” Pyles said. “One of the players on my travel team actually joked one day at practice and told me how sweet it would be if I coached at LT since I am young and can put forth many years with the program.

“I didn’t put much thought into it because I wasn’t sure if I would have considered myself ready to take on an entire softball program, but as time went on, I decided I was ready for the next step.”

Coaching at the high school level has been a dream of hers for many years. She plans to take a player development approach at LT, focusing on younger players with a goal to win conference championships at all levels.

“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity and cannot wait to see what this journey has in store for me!”