2008 Woodie Awards
Freshmen adjust to new level of softball
Brandon Williams
Issue date: 4/3/08 Section: Sports
So far this season the women's softball team at Kirkwood Community College is playing against not only their opponents but the weather as well.
"The hard thing has been that we've been inside, practicing the whole time," said head coach Joe Yegge. "We're in the same position as everybody else, so we can't use that as an excuse."
This year's freshmen are learning to adjust to the competition of college level softball.
"It's a lot different than high school softball, a different pace of game," said Abbey Miller, a freshman third baseman studying Pre-engineering. "A lot better competition both ways, hitting and pitching."
The softball team is currently practicing three times a week and conditioning two times a week. During practices Yegge said the team works on situations that can arise during a game as well as hitting and other fundamental skills.
Kirkwood currently has a 9-8 record. Kirkwood players are optimistic on the team's ability to improve that record.
" I feel like we just need a little more time to mesh," said Sheena Canady, a sophomore outfielder studying Education. "We have a lot of talent on our team and the capabilities to do a lot of good things. I think our program has the potential to go a long way."
This is Yegge's first year coaching softball at Kirkwood. Yegge's previous experience in coaching softball includes five years as an assistant coach at Indiana State University, four years as head coach at NIACC and two years as the assistant coach.
The transition from Indiana to Kirkwood has brought a few changes for Yegge.
"I think the big thing is getting accustomed to recruiting 10, 12 kids every year," said Yegge. "It's a little more instructional. We don't have the upperclassmen to help the lowerclassmen, so those are the big changes I've had."
"The hard thing has been that we've been inside, practicing the whole time," said head coach Joe Yegge. "We're in the same position as everybody else, so we can't use that as an excuse."
This year's freshmen are learning to adjust to the competition of college level softball.
"It's a lot different than high school softball, a different pace of game," said Abbey Miller, a freshman third baseman studying Pre-engineering. "A lot better competition both ways, hitting and pitching."
The softball team is currently practicing three times a week and conditioning two times a week. During practices Yegge said the team works on situations that can arise during a game as well as hitting and other fundamental skills.
Kirkwood currently has a 9-8 record. Kirkwood players are optimistic on the team's ability to improve that record.
" I feel like we just need a little more time to mesh," said Sheena Canady, a sophomore outfielder studying Education. "We have a lot of talent on our team and the capabilities to do a lot of good things. I think our program has the potential to go a long way."
This is Yegge's first year coaching softball at Kirkwood. Yegge's previous experience in coaching softball includes five years as an assistant coach at Indiana State University, four years as head coach at NIACC and two years as the assistant coach.
The transition from Indiana to Kirkwood has brought a few changes for Yegge.
"I think the big thing is getting accustomed to recruiting 10, 12 kids every year," said Yegge. "It's a little more instructional. We don't have the upperclassmen to help the lowerclassmen, so those are the big changes I've had."
Be the first to comment on this story