Lessons learned from the 2017 prep softball season

The great Hall of Fame baseball player Yogi Berra was famous for his outlandish statements. I borrow one today as a beginning point of my column. Yogi said, “You can observe a lot by watching.” The 2017 softball season was one I watched, I listened to, and one I observed. And what lessons have I learned? In fact anyone watching softball in Gordon County observed much and learned much.

There is so much I want to say and yet each point will be granted a short observation. To the task of lessons learned.

Tough Road to the Title

Coach Diane Smith of Calhoun High and Chad Hayes of Sonoraville fielded two of the outstanding teams in North Georgia. Both their teams earned berths in the state playoffs after competing in the Region 6-AAA tournament last week.

A couple of weeks ago I congratulated Coach Hayes on him leading his Lady Phoenix to the top seed in the South subregion. The Lady Jackets finished as the third seed. Both teams went to the Region tournament and when the dust had cleared the Lady Jackets defeated LFO for the region championship.

Calhoun and Sonoraville are scheduled to face teams from Region 5-AAA in the first round of the state playoffs. See Alex Farrer’s articles for details.

One reporter titled his report of Calhoun’s season by saying “Calhoun takes rough road to title.” It was Coach Smith’s sixth consecutive region championship.

I have learned how much support and well-wishing our softball girls in Calhoun and Gordon County have. It is a matter of awe to hear and read the comments of those for the Lady Jackets. I have learned that in spite of it all there are more for us than against us.

How tough was the road

A person would have to be privy to all the events and words of this season to really comprehend how tough the Lady Jackets journey to the title really was. Gone from the three state championship teams and one runner-up team of the past four years were six outstanding players.

All six players are in college on a softball scholarship.

The departure of three top players after five games into this season was a seemingly destructive blow to title hopes. Ironically, the team went to Ringgold that very day and defeated the Lady Tigers. Then, a medical condition greatly hindered senior power slugger Maddie Bumgardner and finally caused her removal from the lineup completely. The young lady has fought a courageous battle to overcome the condition.

A new standard determining who starts the game

Associated with the three players who quit was the involvement of parents or grandparents. I had never heard this issue before but suddenly “starting a freshman over a senior” became the rallying cry for those in objection to the coach’s named starting lineup. Please consider the following names and then make the objection “freshman over a senior.”

400 Meter State Champion Jeff McBee at CHS; Hershel Walker at UGA; Matt and Whit Robbins outstanding baseball players at CHS; Norris Sexton from the 1958-59 CHS basketball team as he began his four-year career as a starter. That year he teamed with Bobby Nance, Jimmy Leonard and others to field an outstanding Yellow Jacket team. I am thankful modern-day appraisers were not around to devalue the starting status of these outstanding freshmen. There are many more.

Remembering a lesson from Coach Hamp Alexander

Hamp was an outstanding athlete at Adairsville High before heading to college to continue his athletic pursuits. He was instrumental in getting the football program started at Adairsville. Coach Alexander fielded outstanding teams at his alma mater in football, basketball and baseball. Coach Alexander came to Calhoun in 1967 as head basketball and baseball coach and assistant football coach for Coach Ken Smallwood.

It is a conversation Coach Alexander had with an athlete that I have used on several occasions to those who would waver in their dedication to any athletic cause. A young man approached the coach after the football season of 1971 and told Coach Alexander he could not decide whether he was going to play basketball or wrestle. The youngster as a junior had started several games the previous season on the basketball team. It is Coach Alexander’s comments every youngster and all parents should consider very seriously. There is much wisdom in the statement.

The Coach said to young man, “John (not his name), I want you to play basketball. You will be a factor on the team.” Then the great point was made when Coach Alexander said, “Whether you play or do not play, the Jackets are going to tip off 26 games this year.”

And so it is. The show goes on and one player or more quitting a team doesn’t change the big picture. Incidentally, that youngster was my son Jeffery Smith. He played basketball his senior year.

Coach Alexander’s lesson has been used by this old coach on several occasions. One year, the best athlete in school was hesitant about playing football. Every argument imaginable was used to no avail.

Finally I used Coach Alexander’s story and told him “Son, whether you play or don’t play, the Jackets are going to kick off 10 times this year.” The little point visibly affected the young man. He did not play but the team had a great year without him. He has often told me that he wished he had played.

A lesson not learned

The road has been hard. Players and parents alike have caused some rough spots in the journey. The Lady Jackets have won the region championship. Today (Wednesday, Oct. 11) they are scheduled to play Cedar Grove from Region 5-AAA in the first round of the state playoffs. Here is what I don’t know: How far will the Lady Jackets advance?

Here is an old coach pulling for Coach Chad Hayes and his girls to advance and for Coach Smith’s Lady Jackets to keep the ball rolling.