Niles assistant softball coach Rick McKeel has been named the new Vikings coach to replace Ryan Frontczak, who resigned earlier this year.

McKeel has coached softball for 13 years, including the last six as an assistant at Niles. He also played a key role in starting up the Niles Nitro travel team.

“Coach McKeel has always been involved with Niles athletics,” Niles Athletic Director Jeff Upton said. “Not only has his family provided vital financial support for our various teams, McKeel brings organization and the ability to develop the fundamentals that are so vital in a successful softball program.

“Coach has been the voice of Vikings football and basketball for years. Now we just continue to add to his involvement with our program. We are truly honored to have Rick take over and run our softball program.”

McKeel said he is ready to get started.

“I am excited about the opportunity and for the opportunity to build a long-term program.” McKeel said. “Ryan did a really nice job of bringing it back and we want to build on that success.”

While Niles has enjoyed success the past decade, including a state championship in 2009, McKeel feels it is important to build on that success. He believes that the Nitro program and the Niles-Brandywine Girls Softball Association are strong feeder programs for the Viking team and that it is his challenge to continue to improve the Vikings so that results can be produced at the end of the year.

“We are going to need to get more kids into the program so that we can keep building it,” McKeel said. “The feeder programs are critical for us to keep growing.”

McKeel has played a pivotal role in the Niles community for years.

He recently retired as president and CEO of New Carbon Company, LLC, which is the operating company of Carbon Waffles.