I had the
pleasure of attending a softball practice and interviewing Beal City’s Head
Softball Coach, John Davis and a few of the varsity softball members earlier
this week to discuss the upcoming season for Beal City. We got to talk and crack a few jokes about
what both Coach Davis and the players are excited about for this upcoming week
and season.
As a head
coach, John Davis has high aspirations for the team this year. He wants to kick off the season and beat some
of the bigger teams that are not in the Highland Conference with Beal City. Coach Davis has his eyes set on capturing a
win from schools like Mt. Pleasant, Bay Central, and Clare. Although he states that it is a tough
schedule to begin the season, by the end
of the season, “The record will not show it when we are done, it will ultimately
make them better throughout the season.”
As for the players, Evart was high on the list of teams that they wanted
to beat this year along with Clare. The
players main overall goal though seems to be getting their picture in the
weight room at the end of the season.
This can only be accomplished if they win Districts. The District game may be farther down the
road, but the entire Varsity squad was in unison when this goal came into
question. It is something they are determined
to accomplish.
This is
Beal City’s first week back since last week was Spring Break. Due to this, Coach Davis feels that it is
hard to tell how the team is looking right now. Before the break, he stated that both the
pitching and batting were looking extremely good. He did say that they are still a little rusty
on the field, but it should be an easy fix and they will be back to normal. When it comes to the team progressing through
the season, he feels they are in a great position to finish strong in the
conference. “We play bigger teams at the
beginning and are able to stay competitive with them and sometimes beat
them. This makes it hard for our
conference teams to deal with us when they face us later on.”
With the
team having their first game rescheduled and then later cancelled due to
weather, the team is biting at the bit to start games. “It can be really claustrophobic in the gym
we start the season off practicing in.
This year we have had the advantage of getting outside a little earlier,
which the girls always look forward to.”
This has provided the young team, that has no seniors, a chance to
better prepare for the upcoming season though.
Most of the team has been lucky enough to be the same as the ten-year
travel team. Alli Peak, a junior,
states, “We all know what each other can do.
I know where they (my teammates) play and they know where I play. It isn’t anything new which adds an excitement
level to know that we are all a team again.”
With two freshmen,
seven sophomores, and three juniors rounding at the roster, there is still a
chance to better learn the game and gain experience at the varsity level. The team needed to fill the shortstop and
first baseman positions, and luckily there are some young players who are able
to step up and fill those positions when needed. “The shortstop position was filled by a
freshman, but we are still trying to work out the first base position. We run into some problems when some girls
have to pitch and they cannot take on position for us during that time.” Although the team is young, they are
determined to not let that stop them.
Shelby Trevino made the comment, “I think we are a young team, but I
think we have a lot of potential. I
think we will be able to do great things this season.”
Although
they were supposed to open their season at the end of March, due to weather,
they get to open the bats this week.
Beal City Softball will start their season tomorrow, April 11, at 4:00
against Bay Central. They will also take
on Clare on Thursday, April 13. Beal
City will get the pleasure of hosting both varsity games at home this week.
By: Valerie Johnson
By: Valerie Johnson
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| Members of the Beal City Varsity Softball Team stretch prior to practice |
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