​MARINE CITY — Although the MHSAA sports season wrapped up nearly a month ago, Cardinal Mooney High School’s athletic department has spent the last three weeks finalizing plans and laying the groundwork for the upcoming year. After two notable personnel decisions, the offseason phase for two varsity programs can officially kick into gear. The Cardinals announced new head coaches last week for baseball and softball: Joe Rydzewski will lead the baseball program and Jeff Damore will oversee the softball team.
Rydzewski expressed unbridled enthusiasm about his new role, describing himself as ecstatic and excited. “This is my first truly head coaching position,” he said. “I’m super pumped to lead my own program.” He takes over for Neal Doddy, who served as interim coach last season. Rydzewski comes to Cardinal Mooney after stints as an assistant coach at both the high school and college levels. His experience includes roles at Macomb Dakota, Sterling Heights Stevenson, Heidelberg University, and Macomb Community College. A native of Chesterfield Township, Rydzewski played college baseball at Heidelberg and later competed professionally in the United Shore Professional Baseball League.
Cardinal Mooney athletic director Kevin Mahn highlighted Rydzewski’s breadth of experience, noting that he’s already coaching a 13U team and brings a strong background from both college playing and coaching. Rydzewski is a proud graduate of Warren De La Salle Collegiate (2014), which adds to his familiarity with the Catholic High School League. That connection helped him decide to pursue the position. “Historically, Cardinal Mooney baseball has been a powerhouse,” Rydzewski stated. “My goal is to help restore them to the level they were at a few years ago. If you play the game the right way, good things happen on the field and off the field.”
The Cardinal Mooney baseball program has a history of strong performances, reaching the Division 4 state semifinals two years ago and finishing as the division’s state runner-up in 2021. With the coaching transition in place, the foundation is being laid for a return to prominence.
Turning to softball, the program is emerging from a dormant period. The Cardinals did not field a team this past season but will reintroduce softball in 2027 under Damore’s leadership. Damore’s extensive coaching résumé spans 25 years, and he brings a wealth of experience to Cardinal Mooney. The Troy native and Troy Athens High School graduate said he feels honored and privileged to join the Cardinals. “I’m just super excited and intrigued by this opportunity,” he said.
Damore’s background includes assistant coaching roles at Rochester Christian University, Algonac High School, and Anchor Bay High School. In the world of travel softball, he has secured four Michigan state championships and led a USA Softball GOLD 18U national championship victory in 2012. During his time coaching at Algonac and Anchor Bay, he even faced Mahn on the other sideline; Mahn notes that their paths crossed when Damore coached opponents who later joined the Cardinal Mooney program. “He actually coached some of the kids (in travel ball) who later played for me,” Mahn recalled. “With his resume, it was a no-brainer.”
The two former rivals, now colleagues, are eager to begin building a renewed softball identity at Cardinal Mooney. Damore has expressed a forward-looking vision for the program, emphasizing the value of a softball culture that emphasizes fundamentals, competition, and character both on and off the field. The shared commitment from Mahn and the new coaches signals a focused effort to elevate Cardinal Mooney’s athletic programs and to create sustainable success moving forward.