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Monday evening marked the delayed, but official, end of my softball coaching career as we celebrated the 2020 softball season at WGHS (Webster Groves High School) in two separate masked, socially distanced ceremonies in a (mostly) empty Roberts Gym, although so many parents who made coaching at Webster such a pleasure were there for their kids and represented so many who came before in previous seasons. I know that parents have sometimes created headaches for coaches, but at both programs with which I was fortunate to be connected (Hancock and WG), they were a blessing, not a bane.

I got to say goodbye to my last team, the 2020 WGHS-JV which overcame multiple obstacles and challenges to cram 13 games into 15 days, coming from behind in our last contest to defeat the JV of perennial power Lafayette 5-4 and finish with a 7-6 record. I’m as proud of that team as any I’ve had the privilege to coach in my 35 year coaching career. Going out on a win is all that any coach could reasonably ask for, and an exciting one, well, “Extra cherry on top, please!”

That didn’t end things, of course, as I joined the varsity for the state tournament that culminated with WGHS’s first-ever softball state championship and only the second women’s sport team state championship in the district’s 125 year history (of course, women’s sports don’t have that long a history [I remember when the “sporty” girls were shunted off to GAA club competitions.]). Of the 19 girls on our state championship squad, 17 had played for me in the program. Last night we unveiled the banner for the gym as well as the state championship picture. There’s also a poster in Webster’s Athletic “Hall of Fame.” 

Which means that you can find my name in the Halls of Fame in two different schools. For those who knew me back when (I started my teaching career 50 years ago), you are probably open-eyed in wonder, joining me in saying, as they do from time to time on TV, “Well, I sure didn’t see that coming!” 

I know I will miss coaching, I will miss my friends and colleagues, and, of course, the girls (as politically incorrect as the term may be, my former players will always be “my girls”), but I’m at peace with my retirement decision. It’s always a blessing to be able to control your exit from any job or stage of life, but 2020 notwithstanding, I couldn’t have scripted mine any better. 

So here’s my script (minus the inevitable ad libs) from the JV portion of last night’s ceremonies, plus  random pix from last night and the unforgettable 2020 season. 

About a year ago, and for me, if not most of us, I’m sure it seems much longer, we could have made any number of predictions about 2020, all of which would have been pure (wrong) guesses, but I’m confident that being here in Roberts Gym on April 12 to celebrate our 2020 softball seasons would not have made anyone’s list. 

But that we are here tonight to celebrate our successful 2020 seasons is a testament to the kind of young women who play Statesmen Softball. Despite the challenges and uncertainty, our dedicated players continued to not just show up, but to show up with purpose, to work hard during the seemingly interminable summer and fall. They were conscientious and mindful of the health and safety of their teammates and coaches – and as a coach of a certain age, I personally appreciated that. 

Every day they practiced as though their next game was going to be tomorrow – and then, all of a sudden, their next game WAS tomorrow. And the day after that and the day after that and…. Thanks to Jerry Collins, our JV managed to play a 13-game schedule, undoubtedly more games than any other JV team in St. Louis County. Despite essentially no time to practice between games, our athletes managed to improve daily, both individually and as a team. No team I’ve ever coached has done as much with as little opportunity, rejecting the myriad of excuses to just go through the motions, or has represented their school and community any better than our 2020 JV. 

2020 was definitely a year of transition, but thanks to the efforts of the young women here tonight, we can look forward with realistic hopes that 2021 will see Webster softball continue its tradition as a well-respected program. The young women who committed to the season that was 2020 can and should deservedly take pride in that; Coach Ashlock and I are certainly proud to have had the opportunity to work with you, and as I transition from coach to fan (although I’ve always been your fan), I know that pride will continue. Thank you.

Another Chapter Ends

 All good things must come to an end. If you’re lucky, you can choose your own ending. I chose my exit time when I left my classroom behind and now I’m choosing my time to exit the field. And that time is now.

Part of life is leaving it behind, and endings are always bittersweet. I will undoubtedly miss working with my friends and players. I have yet to address the nagging worry that with nothing to do that is exactly what I will get done. I’ll save the “inside softball” thinking about the decision and its timing for the end if you’re interested, but, if you know me at all, you know I espouse multiple causation and reject simplistic answers in favor of simply complicated. So it will not be a short section.

What I want to share today is simply a reflection on another aspect of my life where I have been blessed beyond what I deserve. I’ve detailed elsewhere the accidental/serendipitous path I took to becoming a coach, a path I’ve traveled for 35 years now, a path that has afforded me true, lifelong friendships, joy and purpose. 

And hope for the future of my community and nation. I’ve been touched by so many remarkable young women, been privileged to share a segment of their lives that reinforces my faith in humanity and the future. No matter what was happening in the world around me, I always had “my girls.” As politically incorrect as it may be, they will always be “my girls” no matter how successful and accomplished they have, or will, become.

Thank you ladies (and your parents), for allowing me to share with you this small part of your life journey. I love you all.

Why now? 

• Although not identical, the reasoning behind my departure from a regular classroom is parallel to my decision to give up my own classroom. (Click here to read that analogous piece.) 

• 2020 – For better and (maybe) worse, my style, such as it is, was up close and personal. I like to think my most effective coaching (softball and otherwise) came on the bus rides and conversations from the games. My girls tolerated sharing a seat as we talked about their game that day, and anything else that surfaced. Obviously, 2020 precluded that; we didn’t TAKE even a single bus. Close-in conversations were rare to non-existent. (I would be remiss if I didn’t offer a special note of thanks to my last squad for their compliance with masking; I took their care and concern personally and appreciated it accordingly.) While the thought of retiring had been percolating for some time, 2020 was certainly a disincentive to continuing.

• I was blessed to have been befriended by Tim Cerutti and to spend five years working together. Being in the same (age) cohort and sharing a philosophy of life and temperament made the relationship special. His death this spring created an unfillable void. Tim was actually the third coach/friend/mentor to die during my career, but I’m following his (and our shared) mantra of “Choose Happy” – my Rule #1: “You don’t get a discount on the Happy Meal just because you’re not.” But it just wasn’t as much fun without him. That was no surprise.

• Thanks to the leadership of our head coach, Bryan Gibson, and the commitment of many community leaders, Webster has built a softball program that expanded to 3 full teams even as other communities were and are struggling to field even a JV team. 2020 also shelved the WGBSL rec league this spring and the “Feeder” team that funneled girls into the program. I feel safe in predicting we won’t have sufficient numbers for three teams next year (I’d love to be wrong about that). We’ve recently added some new, young, female coaches who may represent the future of the program. It’s time for me to get out of the way and not block their development and connection with the program.

• My wife and I have things we want to do and places we want to go that are best done either during the Fall softball season or the Summer pre-season. Not that we didn’t know it before, but 2020 has reinforced doing what you can while you are still physically able. 

• We’ve been making a conscious effort to de-junk, even before the inspiration of the COVID-quarantine. I’ll be passing along most of my coaching wardrobe, thus freeing up significant closet/storage space, because Bryan Gibson and WG always reinforced the belief that looking good was part of good performance). 

• But mostly I’m tired, struggling to summon the energy the prepare for games and practices. To be clear, it was never the kids, never the parents, never the administration, never the varsity or JV coaching staff that wore me out; on the contrary, it was those groups that energized me to continue as long as I did. In many ways this was the longest short season, but even last year Tim and I both were forced to admit that our energies were not always sufficient to meet the demands to do the job in a way that would live up to our standards. As those who know me can attest, modesty is not a dominant quality for me. I know what I can bring to the party on any given day. While I might fool some people with my 80%, it’s not good enough, not good enough for me to be satisfied and continue. Even if I still have (or ever had) an “A Game,” I can’t always bring it. Time to move aside.

I may not have been all that mindful when I started the job, but the least I can do is make a mindful decision about when it’s time to go. So it’s time to say good-bye, and thank you, thank you for 35 years and close to 50 different teams in two school districts, Hancock Place and Webster Groves.

Apropos of nothing, as I typed this I realized that every school with which I have been regularly associated had at least two names.

#Blessed.

                                                          -30-

Changes for 2020

 It should come as no surprise that the 2020 season will look different from past seasons, even beyond the normal uniqueness, because, well, there is NOTHING normal about 2020. I have decided to (temporarily?) abandon the blog in favor of a Facebook identity that will, in theory, allow us to livestream our games to make up for the restrictions on spectators. As long as people have to go that site, why not post the game results and pictures there, as well? There may, in fact, be a good answer to that question, but like everything about 2020, no one will know right away exactly what that is. 

So please visit/follow us on Facebook (Link Here). I will be sure to post changes to this site, as well, when things change. And we know they will change, because, well.... 2020

Finish Strong: WG 14, Ft. Zumwalt West 4

“I’ve been workin’ on a rewrite, that’s right, gonna change the ending….”

As we trailed 4-0 going into the bottom of the fourth inning against a strong opponent, I was composing my lead and headline, thinking about T.S. Eliot’s “This is how the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper.” But the JV Black Statesmen did their own rewrite and redefinition of the Big Bang Theory, forcing me to do a rewrite as they changed the ending, racing past the Jaguars of Ft. Zumwalt West with an 8-run answer, adding 5 more in the fifth inning and sending our guests hobbling home, reeling with the mercy-rule clincher in the sixth.

Ten games ago, JV Black’s record stood at 7-7. The girls closed their season with a 16-8, mark, winning 9 of their last 10. This was truly another team win and featured contributions from 15 of the 16 players (including three from our Orange squad) dressed for the contest (and that player, Faith Lowry, was ready to go in the circle if needed). 

As Coach Cerutti headed to the bench in the bottom of the fourth he was working on his pep talk. He decided it wasn’t needed. He was right. This team doesn’t quit, not on a game, not on each other. The end-of-season celebration, moved from Serendipity to Fro-Yo, was sweet, joyous, and well deserved. In the next couple days I’ll post a season-ending wrap up, but, for now, enjoy the box score and the memory of this come-from-behind season-ending victory over a good FZW squad.

Go, go, get ‘em…. They went and got ‘em.

Soggy Weather, Crisp Game. WG 7, NW 3

Raindrops kept fallin’ on our heads, they kept fallin’…. Much to our surprise, it was “Game On!” And so the girls played on. As Coach Cerutti described it, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a team do a better job of making the weather irrelevant.” When the umpires called the game (official, 4 2/3 innings) because the playing conditions had moved from sloppy to something between unplayable and dangerous, we had tamed the dangerous Northwest Lions, 7-3. 

If you can play “crisp” ball in a swamp, well, that’s what we did. No errors, only two walks by Olivia Leaver (to the last two batters of the game before the Umps called the whole thing off) who notched her fourteenth win as Nic Rikand (2 RBI) prepared to come in. Taylor Smith backed that pitching with some great work at short and Caitlyn Boyle sped past her own (JV) stolen base record, set last year, with three steals to put her at 42 with one game left to play.

It is worth mentioning, I think, as our penultimate game put us at 15-8 for the season, that not that long ago our record stood at 7-7. The girls have done a great job of improving as individuals and as a team. Couldn’t be prouder of them and I will admit they exceeded my expectations. 

No school or practice tomorrow. We close out our season (although some will serve as a “practice squad” to help the varsity prepare for districts) Monday against what we expect to be a very good Ft. Zumwalt West squad. But win, lose, or draw, we will celebrate our success at Serendipity following the game. Apologies (sorry, not sorry) if I spoil their dinner appetites. Oh, and thanks to all those who cheered us on in the rain today. Your support did not go unnoticed.

Arghhh! Sinking the Pirates, 23-0

Teddy Roosevelt counseled speaking softly and carrying a big stick. We’ve been swinging some big sticks lately.

When you look at the season-ending stats at the banquet, remember there were three (3!) games in which we scored 20 runs. Mismatches tend to have inflationary tendencies. There are many fewer of those at the next level, whatever level that may be; that lofty batting average cannot be expected to translate, and our varsity coaches know that. They’re looking for skill sets.

Fortunately, our players have been working hard to develop various skill sets, which are helping them to create some of these mismatches. 

Pattonville was not nearly as bad a team as the score makes it appear. Their first pitcher generally threw stikes, walking very few until her arm started to fall off. But we essentially crushed everything she threw. Our soft hitters placed the ball perfectly (Ally Marshall scored her first extra-base hit as the fielders headed one direction and the ball, well, it in another) and our bigger hitters crushed four (4!) homeruns, including 2 grand slams (Morgan Lawrence hit two, Wreck-It Rekart added her first, and Nic Rikand padded her cushion in the circle). Playing on what was essentially a baseball or slow-pitch softball field with no interior fence was to our batters’ advantage, as any ball past the outfield was a HR threat.

Nic came within a couple outs of a 3-inning no hitter as she dominated in the circle with 4 Ks and no walks to earn her first win to complement her four saves. Our defense made the plays we needed and the Pirates’ coach thought stealing second base down 20-0 was a good strategy. “Oh no,” said Marko. We deliberately ended the last two innings on Code Blue or we might still be batting. (jk, no lights that I noticed.)

We’ll try to tune up our swings tomorrow for a Northwest team that is better than it showed Saturday (not that the Lions played badly, we just played so well it seemed that way). Two more games to close out our season, at home on Thursday and Monday. If you haven’t had a chance to see how much the girls have improved since that first Saturday scrimmage, don’t miss your chance.

Nicola Rikand was our POG for her 1-hitter and Homerun.

Friday took advantage of the Pirate OFs understandably playing deep after Morgan Lawrence's 2 homers, and hustled a short fly ball in front of them into a double.

Despite not taking up slapping until this year, sophomore Ally Marshall sports a batting average around .500.

As a pitcher, Olivia Leaver usually gets a courtesy runner or is the flex, but  scored her first run of the season after a single in the long, long, long second inning.

Not sure about the strategy of stealing down by 20 runs, but we weren't napping. Marko to Ozzie for the quick tag and the second out.

Statesmen Corral Longhorns, 20-2

The last time we faced Parkway West’s leftovers (their program struggles to field a JV team), their end of the bench varsity players, they pitched (and batted) a starting varsity player (although she wasn’t their regular pitcher – no problem with that – she was one of their top hitters); we won 4-3 in the abbreviated game. We weren’t sure what to expect today.

A lineout double play abruptly ended our 3-run first inning and the Longhorns answered with two of their own, despite having their leadoff batter thrown by Marko paired with a quick tag by Taylor (Ozzie) Smith. We ended our second inning with a “Code Blue” (our runner leaves early to cede an out) after a 17-run onslaught featuring walks, errors and hard hit balls as we adjusted to the s-l-o-w pitching. Although Parkway West was the home team (as the game was originally scheduled at their field), they lined up after they failed to score in the bottom of the second, leaving us little to do except shake hands. 

Not much else to say about this game, except our POGs were Morgan Lawrence with two doubles and Jilly Sanders with two well struck balls as she came in for Nic Rikand, who will make her first start in the circle tomorrow against Patonville’s Pirates. Arghhh! Players who did not start today’s game will be in the lineup to start tomorrow. (Note the game is NOT, repeat, NOT, at the high school, but at the Bridgeton Municipal Athletic Center. Bus leaves at 3 p.m.) Our final two home games are Thursday and Monday against Northwest and Ft. Zumalt West, respectively.

Two bonus pix from the weekend tournament.