Angelica Vivas Coach Steve McAuliffe smiles Wednesday as he receives praise while having a drink at Paddy’s Lunch Sports Bar in Cambridge.

It was raining Wednesday evening, so Steve McAuliffe canceled his softball team’s practice. But instead of heading home, the longtime volunteer Cambridge coach caught up over drinks with a former player and mothers of players he coached.

The weather was gloomy, but McAuliffe brought a lightness to the back room of Paddy’s Lunch, recalling memories such as the player-parent game he organized.

“Steve is not just a coach,” said Kathyr Ranger, 46, a mother of one of McAuliffe’s players. “He’s a friend.”

For three decades, McAuliffe has helped shape Cambridge girls’ rec softball, guiding players beyond the diamond and creating a network of lasting relat

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