It was a philosophical Arielle Cooper who received the news last week that she was named Fitch High School softball coach following the resignation of Kate Prpich.

Cooper was the interim coach for Prpich during the Falcons' state championship season in 2014. She was then an assistant coach on last year's team, which also reached the state final before falling to East Haven to finish 25-1.

So Cooper has been the bad cop for Fitch, the good cop and is now back to being the bad cop.

One thing she knows is that she's happy to remain with her alma mater. Cooper is a 2009 Fitch graduate and former Falcons' third baseman.

“I'm 24. I haven't figured it all out yet. But in my short life I've had a lot of people who have stuck by me,” Cooper said. “I've had great coaches. I have the experience of being around people that genuinely care. Mark Latham has five kids of his own and he still texts me at least once a week: 'You need to stay in it.' Al Clark calls me and leaves me messages.

“I love that people care and want what's best. What's better than having a great community? I want to be here.”

Cooper said that having that experience makes her want to try even harder to figure out how to give that feeling of belonging to her players.

“It brings me back to 15 years ago, which I can't even believe I'm saying,” Cooper said. “Aubrey (Latham), Britt (Duclos), Stacy Pouliot, Brianna Turgeon, we were playing 9-10s with Mr. Latham and Ed Kolnaski (as coaches). We just had such a solid group it made you want to be better.”

Among Cooper's advice to her players:

“Don't hold it so tight you're suffocating it (figuratively),” “leave the program better than you found it” and “it's the little things that make the big things.”

The preseason begins March 19 for the Falcons, who have won 46 straight regular-season games.

Opening day comes April 6 at home against Woodstock Academy and a game with last year's Class LL champion Southington, the top-ranked team in the state in 2015 at 24-0, looms on April 25 at Southington.

Said Cooper: “Caroline (Taber) deserves to have a great senior year. Nalissa (Amar) deserves to have a great senior year. We're going to have short-term goals, long-term goals. Why not try to end it on the highest mark?”