The Norwich softball team is working hard to get ready for the spring season, according to players.
“We have a non-traditional fall season where we get to have 16 practices and one day of competition,” said Whitney Grennon, a 21-year-old senior athletic training major from Franklin, Vt.
“We did OK. We played St. Michaels and it was a little difficult because we have a lot of new players,” said Jackie Donahue, a 20-year-old sophomore business major from Northfield, Vt. “But we did pretty well.”
The team played two games against Saint Michaels College, losing one contest and tying the other.
“We also have team lifts and captain’s practices,” said Marley Balasco, a 20-year-old international studies major from Barrington, R.I. “Right now we have to have captain’s practices in Plumley, but we don’t have the space we need for the outfield”.
“We practice on Sundays,” Donahue said. “It’s a little restricting and we don’t have a lot of area because there’s also dancing going on on Sundays [in Plumley] .”
“It is hard to work on skills throughout the year,” Grennon said. “[The snow] definitely sets us back because we aren’t allowed to be outside year-round.”
“The snow sets us back a little bit, but we work around it,” Donahue said. “This year has been more difficult because Shapiro hasn’t been open because they’re re-doing the floor.”
The team sets a goal every year to have fun and to win its conference and do it as a team, according to Grennon. “Last year we ended fourth in the conference.”
“We came off a 12-game winning streak last year,” Balacso said. “We’re looking to build on that from last year.”
After their finish in league standings last season, the Cadets look to improve this season and avenge Simmons College, who knocked them out of play-offs last season, according to Donahue.
“We want to make a top four finish and make it to playoffs,” Donahue said. “We also want to beat all of our stats from last year as far as team hitting and everything else.”
According to the team, there are two new freshmen coming to the team, and there are a couple upperclassmen who should be able to add to the team.
“We have some key incoming freshmen and returning players,” Grennon said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to pick up right where we left off and start off with a good year.”
Young incoming players and new upperclassmen will contribute to make a successful team, according to Balasco. “We should be solid.”
Also contributing to the team will be a new head coach. Greg McGrath will be taking over starting this year. The Cadets may also be adding a pitching coach to the staff, according to Donahue.
“Our coach left after last year,” Grennon said. “She was replaced by Greg McGrath, who works here on campus in the Student Activities Department.”
“He doesn’t know a lot about the game technical-wise, but he’s willing to work and learn more about it,” Donahue said. “He plays a ton of slow-pitch softball, so he knows the game but he just doesn’t know the technical part of it.”
“He’s very enthusiastic and looking forward to the season,” Grennon said. “We hope he can take some of that enthusiasm and put it to good use with our team and bring new ideas so that we can have even more of a successful season than we did last year.”
According to players, the Cadets will hit the plate during spring break in South Carolina.