MORROW -- With Board of Education approval at their regular July meeting on Tuesday night, Chad Thieme was named the next varsity head coach of the Lady Panthers softball program at LMHS. Coach Thieme arrives in Morrow as no stranger to hard work, or the Little Miami community. Thieme was born and raised in Indiana where he grew up on a farm before attending Purdue University in West Lafayette where he earned a degree in computer technology. Following his time as a Boilermaker, Coach Thieme moved to the Greater Cincinnati Area in 2001 when he landed his first professional job at Proctor and Gamble as a senior technology consultant.
In 2007, Thieme earned a Masters in Business Administration from Xavier University, and a decade later he co-founded Foodworks Technologies, INC which brought to market a leading menu planning and business software analysis platform for K-12 schools. Initiatives which paralleled his duties while at P&G. Although Coach Thieme's early professional career was quickly ascending he still felt the need to give back, and in September of 2016 he decided to act on his passion for softball by serving the Little Miami community as a board member of Little Miami Fastpitch Softball where he's served as both association president and treasurer.
From July 2014 until July 2021, his role with the association then evolved into a coaching position where he was the head coach of teams from the 10U to the 14U levels. Following his seven-year stint with LMFS, Coach Thieme moved into a new role with the Little Miami Junior High Club Program as both a coordinator and head coach as his girls grew older. Duties with the club program included everything from practice planning and financial management, along with hiring coaches and scheduling. Additionally, Chad spent a few years on the club circuit as the head coach of Diamond Elite 14U where he garnered a 30-18 record, and co-coached the 16U Cincy Swarm from 2022-24.
"I have spent the past 10 years working to build up softball in the Little Miami community and I'm very excited to continue that work within the High School program. I have a vision of what this program should and can be, and we will bring the passion, energy, and work ethic to make this happen," said Thieme. "We will not only build a respected and successful high school program, but we will also play a key role to lead softball development within our community all the way down through our youth."
Coach Thieme inherits a program that is thirsty to take the next step in the rugged Eastern Cincinnati Conference. In 2024, the Lady Panthers posted a 14-13 overall record which placed them No. 4 in The League's final standings. The Lady Panthers will look to build upon the leadership of rising senior shortstop Ashleigh Meece who was a first-team All-ECC player in 2024, and second team honorees Bella Houillion and Grace Young. In 2023, Little Miami finished below .500 at 10-16 overall, but the program enjoyed a successful campaign in 2022 as the Lady Panthers rumbled to an 18-9 season (13-5 ECC) and fell to Oak Hills in Round 3 of the OHSAA Tournament.
Coach Thieme currently resides in the Little Miami school district and he and his wife Amanda have two children who have been involved with Little Miami softball during their time as Lady Panthers.
For those seeking further information, please stay tuned to littlemiamipanthers.com, Final Forms, and our social media platforms for further information regarding offseason preparation and organization planning meetings. Additionally, the 2025 Lady Panthers schedule will be posted when available.
