Have you ever met a coach with as much determination and pride as my softball coach? Coach Preston has done an amazing job with our unacknowledged softball team. Playing for a small town with lacrosse as our main sport in the spring, it's hard to promote softball over lacrosse. I bet you don't have as good of a coach as me and my team.
In 2015, the team was disoriented, rude, and just simply untalented. We had a male coach who just couldn't connect to any of the girls on the team; we had a team full of petty girls, and nobody seemed to know how to play softball. The atmosphere was terrible and nobody wanted to come back next year. I was probably the biggest advocate for track towards the end of the softball season. In 2016, only 13 girls tried out for the team the first day of tryouts due to the bad atmosphere and bad coaching in the past years. So, why come back? One reason: Coach Preston.
I have so much respect for Coach Preston. She took on a team of 14 girls, mostly underclassmen, knowing that we would probably have a mortifying season. Most of the girls barely knew how to play softball -- we do have two exceptions on our team -- but, with determination and love for the game of softball, she took pride in us and led us to two wins last year. Now, you're probably thinking, two wins? That's it? But with small numbers, it was a struggle. She taught us the foundation of softball with patience and pleasure. She didn't roll her eyes or sigh whenever I asked a stupid question like "I can't over-run second base?" She led our team with patience and always congratulated us whenever we made a good play or hit.
Do you think your coach has that much patience? Do you think your coach could rebuild the atmosphere of an entire program in only one year? With 14 girls, mostly sophomores and freshmen playing on varsity, it seemed impossible to not get mercy-ed every single game, but by the end of the season, we played a team who had once crushed us 18-0 and came back close with a 10-5 loss. We were in the game, 6-5, for most of the game. We got there because of Coach Preston.
So, I just wanted to thank Coach Preston for everything she has done. She created a friendly atmosphere for the softball team, she helped us understand the game of softball, and she helped us understand what a team really is. Because of her, 28 girls came out this year. Because of her, I love going to softball every day, and I strive to improve. Because of her, I want to help rebuild the softball team, and I'm sure everyone on the team would agree. We love you, Coach Preston, and we appreciate all the time and effort you incessantly put in to help us improve.
