hu·man·i·tar·i·an (adjective). 1. Concerned with or seeking to promote human welfare.
Longtime former Western Illinois University Softball Coach and Macomb resident Kathy Veroni will be honored in December with the National Fastball Coaches Association's (NFCA) Humanitarian Award for her decades of dedication and contributions to the development of softball and for her charitable and volunteer work within the community. The NFCA Hall of Famer will be recognized at a ceremony at the NFCA Convention in Las Vegas.
A member of four Halls of Fame – NFCA, Illinois State University, Western Illinois University and Illinois ASA – Veroni led the Westerwinds Softball program from 1971 to 2005, leading the program to 869 victories, 11 conference titles, five AIAW national tournaments and three NCAA tournaments. She continues to support WIU Softball, as well as the golf program. According to the NFCA, Veroni's contributions to the sport extend beyond Western as she has served the NFCA as president, past president and on committees, worked area youth and coaches' clinics and mentored NFCA member coaches.
When Veroni wasn't coaching at Western, she established and coached the Macomb Magic women's fastpitch softball team from 1979-1985. The team developed talent, capturing four Illinois and five Midwest championships, competed in five Nationals and two Olympic Sports Festivals and received the 'Key to the City' from then-Mayor Tom Carper in 1983.
Following her retirement, Veroni has contributed to the McDonough County region as a Master Gardner; woodworker, often donating pieces for charity events, and serving as a volunteer with such local endeavors as GIFT (Growing Illinois Food Together) garden, which, through its 10-member team, maintains a vegetable garden that supplies food pantries with over 2,000 pounds of food annually. She has also designed and built a garden shed for the equipment, funded and built a gazebo for an outdoor classroom and with help, built 25 raised beds.
'I am very grateful and overwhelmed to receive this distinguished humanitarian award from the coaches association. I have volunteered in many different capacities and it is so important to help out where needed,' Veroni told The Community News Brief.
'After coaching it was always an adventure to work with other groups and collaborate in any way that I could be of assistance. I am grateful to all those I've had a chance to work with both on and off the softball field.'
Veroni often provides local and regional speakers to present information on a variety of horticultural topics as part of the Roots and Shoots program, which is designed to teach young children about gardening in the summer months, along with Gardner's Day, a University of Illinois Extension sponsored event. She visits classrooms, is an educator at the University of Illinois extension, volunteers at the 4H fair, refurbished gardens within the county and assists in present wrapping for the Project Santa initiative.
She was an elected Macomb Park District Commissioner, and is a member of the McDonough District Hospital Golden Apple Society. In February 2025, Veroni was inducted into the Macomb Feminist Network's 'Writing Women into History' Class of 2025.
Veroni, who retired from Western in May 2025, led the Westerwinds Softball teams to 850 victories, 11 conference championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances, serving as the head softball coach for 34 seasons. She was named head coach at WIU in 1971, and when she retired 34 years later, she was one of the winningest coaches in NCAA softball history.
'Coach Veroni's drive teaches us to reach with her and alongside her. Every time she is recognized for her greatness, another light is added to her beacon,' noted Kathryn Steele, a WIU softball and Macomb Magic alumna.
'Coach Veroni absolutely improves the lives of those around her. She makes us all want to be better humans.'
