By BRIAN TORTELLA
Correspondent
@tortreports on Instagram
Softball will always have a special place in Matt Schneider’s heart.
That’s because the sport was able to get his family through a difficult time.
“Ultimately, not to sob-story the thing, but I used to own a business and ended up going bankrupt through the business,” Schneider said. “And, honestly, when we were going through that, softball was about the only thing to keep the girls grounded. I have a love for the sport just because it got my family through a tough time.
“Softball was something that was important to get away. For those two-to-three hours every night, I didn’t have to worry about bill collectors, I didn’t have to worry about cars being repossessed, I didn’t have to worry about possibly losing my house. I was just able to focus on being with the girls, and that’s why softball is what it is to me. So, it’s emotional. It’s something that has always been a glue in our family.”
When the youngest of his two daughters went off to college last year, Schneider said he knew there would be no better time to give back to the sport that has given him so much.
“I have two girls that I coached through little league and travel ball who went into college,” said Schneider, a Pittsgrove Township resident. “I’ve always had a love for coaching softball, so when my daughters went off to school, I decided to find something and see what I could do.”
The head softball coaching position at Clearview Regional High opened. He applied. He was hired. And the rest is history.
In Schneider’s first season at the helm last year, the Pioneers had one of their best runs in recent memory. Not only did they finish above .500 for the first time since the 2017 season with an 18-5 mark, but they made it all the way to the South Jersey Group 3 final, suffering a 4-3 loss to top-seeded Delsea Regional in nine innings.
The program’s 18 wins in 2025 was the most since 2015. That year, the Pioneers finished 22-4 and made it to the South Jersey Group 4 quarterfinal. You’d have to flip the calendar back to 2003 to find the last time the program won a sectional championship.
“He’s a really great coach. He always pushes us to our full potential — and even if we fall short, then he’s always right there to pick us back up,” said sophomore Ella Redheffer, who owns a team-high .608 batting average among starters. “He’s very motivational and encouraging, and he’s a great person to be around. He really treats us like his daughters and that means a lot. When you’re coaching 20 girls and you’re trying to bond them all together, seeing him come in day in and day out and be there for us all the time, it really means a lot.”
A blue-collar worker during the early hours of the day, Schneider is the Director of Operations for Grand View Roofing & Exteriors in Washington Township. He wakes up bright and early to be able to leave before it’s time for afternoon practices and games in Mullica Hill.
“I run an exterior remodeling company in Washington Township on the Pike. Most of my days are spent working on windows, doors, siding and roofing projects,” said Schneider, who lives right down the road from Arthur P. Schalick High. “I leave and get to the girls right after school and spend a few hours with them every day.
“With leaving work early in the morning, I usually get out of the house before 5:30 and get to the office before 6 a.m. It gives me a full day of work and I do what I have to do to run things. I cut out around 1:30 or 2 p.m. and make sure I’m at school in time for the girls to get out at 2:16.”
It’s rare to see varsity head coaches at the high school level get hired who not only don’t teach, but also don’t live in the community. Schneider is an outliner in that respect.
“When we were able to hire coach Schneider, we were looking for someone who could lead and grow the softball program. We were very impressed with his knowledge of the game, his leadership style and the way he was able to just connect with our athletes,” Clearview Athletic Director Steve Asay said. “Coach Schneider is very passionate about the sport, he has a great temperament and is genuinely a good person to have in our athletic department. I have been very pleased with the impact he and his staff have made on the field and off the field with our student-athletes.”
Schneider’s mission is now simple. It’s time to lead the Pioneers to a long-awaited sectional crown. The state tournament is slated to start on Tuesday. Clearview owns a 14-7 record and is currently ranked third in the South Jersey Group 3 power-point standings with the cutoff approaching Saturday.
“It’s going to be phenomenal for the program and phenomenal for these girls,” Schneider said of potentially winning the South Jersey Group 3 title. “When I took over last year, that’s what we said we wanted to do. We wanted this sectional title. This year, after we were so close last year, it’s like a recommitment. We have to work hard and do what we have to do to get there.
“This is a season of redemption for us. We were one strike away last year and the girls have worn that for 360 days, and for these last few, we’re ready to lock it down and get there again and win it this year. The girls are passionate about trying to get there.”
WHAT’S NEXT: Clearview travels to Pennsville on Friday at 4 p.m., then has regular-season games on Tuesday and Wednesday, at Cumberland and at Audubon, respectively. Both games are at 4 p.m.
