JV Softball is unpredictable, to say the least. I've had teams I thought were going to be world beaters who underperformed those expectations (although not necessarily their abilities), others that I didn't expect much from who were better than expected, and others that I had no idea what to expect. So I no longer make predictions.
Which doesn't mean that the coaching staff doesn't set expectations. It's just that those expectations are not tied to any particular number of wins and losses, because those tend to sell our girls short and either over or underestimate our opponents.
Because of that, our goals are fairly consistent from year to year:
1 - There should be a noticeable improvement in each girl's individual skill level as we compare the first practice in August to the last game in October.
2 - There should be an obvious growth in team culture, and, although that may look different from year to year, a team bond and commitment to teammates must be part of that culture.
3 - Our JV Statesmen should maintain a high level of sportsmanship and competitiveness that reflects positively on the school and the district. We want to be a respected and sought after opponent.
4 - We should produce at least 5 varsity-ready players that Coach Gibson can think about as part of the mix for the next season.
5 - Every player should be able to look back on the season as a worthwhile and enjoyable investment of her time, and at least 80% (dead minimum) should be looking forward and committed to continuing in the program next season, including participating in the off-season activities and workouts.
I think I can safely speak for Coach Cerutti in proclaiming this year a success. Speaking of Coach Cerutti, I can only say, "What a gift!" to our program, and not just because he and I could share so many cultural references. The man is a gifted teacher and everyone associated with the program, including (and especially) me, learned and benefitted from his contributions on so many levels. I know Coach Poe is looking forward to returning next year after her maternity leave, but I've already let Coach Gibson know that we somehow need to find a way to have both on staff next year.
In no way does that slight what the other assistant and volunteer coaches brought to the party. No one works harder or has done more to build the WGHS softball program than Bryan Gibson. Sam Pitlyck has improved the program and the girls' skills in many ways, but especially our OF play. Chris Fechtel's work with pitchers and catchers has paid dividends and Dave Knapp brings a candor to coaching that is valuable and refreshing. Our girls, and our program, have benefitted tremendously by having such a deep coaching staff. I'm proud to be associated with all of them.
The girls also benefitted from the continued parental support. That has been a constant in my time at Webster (I have actually coached more WG teams than Hancock, where I started my coaching career) and I thank you for that, and thank you, as well, for acceding to our pre-season request to model great sportsmanship and team spirit and refrain from umpiring. I know at least some of our parents noticed other teams who did not benefit from that positive parental attitude and who, IMO, suffered in comparison to ours. Your attitudes, as well as your daughters, make it easy for me to keep coaching and, because I enjoy it so much, I want to express my sincere appreciation for that support.
The girls haven't voted on their award winners, and I could say (and probably will at the banquet) good things about all 13 JV players. But I want to single out one girl who may have been overlooked (not by the coaches) and was, quite frankly, a warrior. Sophomore Becca DeGreeff strapped on the gear for every inning of every game. Our back-up catcher was injured early and plans to give Becca not only some rest but experience at other positions just never happened. She had her own injuries and issues, but never complained, never backed off, never gave less than her best. So this is my chance to broadcast my respect for her.
Softball is a stats-driven game, and I, having been raised with a scorecard in my hand, baseball cards next to my bed, and Strato-Matic players hidden away for midnight (and later) games with my brother, am a self-confessed numbers nerd. I don't post statistics during the season for a variety of reasons. First, I don't want to get into discussions about whether something was or was not a hit or an error, either at bat or afield. Second, I don't want to have discussions about who is playing when or where based on stats that may not reflect performance and/or ability. Finally, those parents who really want to keep track can do their own math based on the box scores, although I apologize for running out of gas the last week and being tardy with those games.
Nevertheless, as has become a tradition, below are the season totals. For comparison purposes, I am also including the stats from the six previous years. For better view, you can open/double click each year separately.
Again, many thanks to all involved, coaches, parents, district administration, but especially the girls who never gave us less than their best, for a great season. Looking forward to another great year in 2016.
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