Gibault Catholic High School announced more new coaching hires this week.

The school named Chris Purcell as its head softball coach, succeeding Steve Kidd. 

Purcell has spent five seasons as an assistant softball coach at Gibault.  With this being his youngest daughter’s senior season, Purcell said he’s excited to take on the head coach role.

During the last 25 years, Purcell has coached soccer, softball and baseball. He was head coach for junior high softball, youth boys baseball and grade school soccer.  

 Gibault also announced Barry Parks as its head track coach. 

Parks is a math instructor at the school and served as an assistant track coach last year.

Parks coached the shot put and discus at Mascoutah High School from 1990-2021. During that period, they were conference champions 18 times and state champions in 2021.  

Also during that time, Parks had 35 individual conference champs in the shot put and discus combined, along with 23 state qualifiers, seven state medalists and two state champions.