MSU softball coach Ricketts visits Rotary
For the Starkville Rotary Club's weekly program on Monday, the Rotarians heard from Mississippi State's head softball coach Samantha Ricketts for an update on the coming season in the growing program she is leading.
Last year, Ricketts led MSU to hosting its first Super Regional ever in the NCAA softball tournament after upsetting No. 2 Florida State and snapping the Seminoles' 24-game winning streak, which was the longest in the country.
When she joined Mississippi State as an assistant in 2015, Ricketts expected to be here for nine years.
“I thought I would spend a couple years here and help turn the program around and then I'm going to be a head coach at a smaller school and work my way up,” said Ricketts. “But God's plan was obviously a lot different and greater than I could have imagined. When I had the opportunity to take over the program in 2020, it was such a blessing. To be able to be here nine years later, I just really have loved every minute of it.”
Last year, Ricketts had a team full of players who were upset at the end of the season when another team was celebrating a trip to the Women's College World Series on their home field, and she says that's good for the program.
“Before that I was the only one in the dugout who'd ever played in a Super Regional game, and that dugout full of players never experienced that,” said Ricketts. “For them to be that close and experience that kind of heartbreak and disappointment, I think it's really fueled the fire for this year's team.”
It's not just the game experience in a Super Regional that Ricketts values for her team, but it's also the atmosphere that was set up by MSU administration and fans.
“I really think they went above and beyond. It was just, ‘Okay, we'll bring in a couple of bleachers and do what we need to do for the girls.' It was,
FTE. The state accreditation minimum staffing is 12.95 FTE. Current funding is at $11.12 per capita, whereas the state average in FY2021 was $13.43 per capita. The bottom line is that Starkville/ Oktibbeha Co. Public Library System's funding is not meeting the state average. Carter was clear in declaring his appreciation to the city and county for what they do fund.
Partner organizations, among others, are Friends of the Starkville Library, Mississippi State University, the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, Starkville Strong and the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District.
Carter gave ways that the community can help: Talk to local legislators about the importance of the library to the community and how funding should be a priority, attend library programs and events and encourage others to visit the library.
The Starkville Public Library will hold its 2nd Annual “The Grape Gatsby” fundraiser on April 29, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. For information on tickets and sponsorships, please contact Phillip Carter at 662-3232766, ext. 7, or email him at phillip@ starkville.lib.ms.us. Sponsorship opportunities include seven categories, from $100 to $5,000. After Carter's presentation, Starkville Civic League donated $500 as a Silver Sponsor.