Friday, March 27, 2009
Growing pains are synonymous with the beginning of any season. Inaugural seasons are even tougher to handle, but the Kansas club softball team is taking it in stride.
“We are lucky to have a coach and a very talented group of girls,” said Bailey Gray, Fort Scott junior and team co-captain/vice president. “I am really looking forward to seeing how we improve as we learn to play together.”
Lenexa junior Shea Scanlon attempts to tag a Haskell runner. The first home game will be against Kansas State University at Holcom Sports Complex.
The first season of KU club softball has presented many challenges, including not having a coach for the fall season.
“The fall was rough because no one really knew what to expect,” said Shea Scanlon, Shawnee Mission junior. “We didn’t have a coach that was really in charge of practices or lineups.”
Although the team did not have a coach, it found an inspirational leader in an unlikely place to help its cause.
“My dad, John Gray, had a big impact on our team in the fall,” Gray said. “It was important to have that support because the teams we were playing had quite a few fans, so knowing we had someone rooting for us was encouraging.”
“Daddy G”, as John Gray is affectionately known to the team, drove to every fall game from Fort Scott. Other people besides John Gray have had a positive impact on the club softball team.
“The head coach at Haskell (Gary Tanner) has been a huge help, he has no affiliation with KU but he has helped out tremendously,” Scanlon said. “Aside from putting us on their schedule he has allowed us to use their indoor batting facility every week this spring simply because he is a nice guy.”
After the fall season Katy Saunders, team president, searched for a coach through the department of health, sport and exercise sciences. After coming into contact with Kylie Williamson, the team found itself a coach before spring semester started.
Williamson mentioned the ease of coaching the girls as one of their strengths.
“They love the game and they really want to do well,” Williamson said. “They are eager to learn and enjoy participating.”
Their first scrimmage of the spring season against Haskell Indian Nations University’s competitive softball team ended in a loss for the Jayhawks, but the team focused on the positives after the defeat.
“We have had one scrimmage against Haskell and I think we learned a lot,” Williamson said. “I feel that the team will be very competitive and will have a lot of fun.”
Williamson said the team will also play the club teams from Kansas State and Nebraska University as well as the competitive teams from Baker University and Kansas City Kansas Community College.
“We just want to get the word out that we exist and are competitive,” Williamson said. “I am happy to be a part of this group and hope to pass some of my knowledge to the team.”
The club softball team’s first home game will be against Kansas State University on March 28 at Holcom Sports Complex.
— — Edited by Sam Speer
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