Orange and Black Game

Despite Thursday’s deluge, Webster’s field bounced back so that not only could we play the annual Orange-Black scrimmage, we used it for yesterday’s practice, and it was in stunningly good shape. Not sure why I should be surprised every time.

 I was generally pleased with what I saw from the JV (and varsity) today, and I’m excited for the season. For those who care about such things, the Black (Gold) won, 6-2. Live action, good pitching, those are key factors in evaluating your team. They also give a coaching staff an agenda on areas that need improvement. Overall, this team is solid on the fundamentals, although obviously individuals have holes in various areas. One of the things we’re going to do at practice on Monday is to ask each player to list a couple aspects of the game on which they want to focus in the next two weeks, before we open at Plymouth Field against Parkway Central on Friday, August 22.

Every team develops its own personality, as well, and I confess I’m not sure how this will play out with this group of girls. Who will lead, who will take charge? We are very young and will likely have only three sophomores on our 14-player roster; all the rest will be freshmen, albeit freshmen who are almost all well-schooled, competent players. But there’s a difference between competence and confidence. It is the latter that will bring out the leaders.

I’m not talking about confidence in softball skills, which helps, of course, but more about confidence in knowing how Webster plays, in knowing her role, and knowing what we expect from our players. I’ve had leaders on more than a couple teams who weren’t even starters or full-time players. Rarely is leadership a single player; last year our sophomores almost led by committee, led with their actions at least as much as their words, but there were 7 of them.

Team chemistry, personality, and dynamic isn’t exactly a concern, at least not at this point, more a curiosity. But that’s what I love about softball, especially at the JV level. Every year is different. “Normal year”? An oxymoron, just like in teaching. 

Play ball!