The Gretna softball program hit a record of having 61 girls on the team for this year’s season. With a coaching staff of only six, including Bill Heard who has been the head coach for 10 years, they manage to juggle five separate teams, including one varsity and four junior varsity.
With more than 65 games between all five teams, the program began preparing for their upcoming season on May 28 to get ready for their whirlwind schedule. While the schedule could be described as chaotic, it is a guarantee that this season will be long and demanding. Every single player will be tested on both their physical and mental abilities.
“All of it is hard,” Coach Bill Heard said. “Everybody has to be willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the team.”
For years, Gretna Softball has chosen to accept every player who walks onto the diamond. This year is no exception, even with 61 girls on the roster. Challenges are expected and will certainly arise, but the whole coaching staff is confident that they will make it work.
“It is the right thing for the kids,” Heard said. “All of our kids deserve a chance to play.”
However, as Gretna continues to grow, the number of athletes that try out will as well. Even after knowing this, Heard still believes that taking everyone will not be a problem.
“It will be a huge bonus,” Heard said. “It creates a culture where everybody knows they have an opportunity, and everyone can be bought into doing the right thing.”
This mentality of “no teammate left behind” establishes Gretna Softball’s reputation of a remarkable place for kids to enjoy the game of softball.
“The relationships that I have built with my teammates,” said senior Skarlett Jones. “Also how much the coaches care (is really special).”
“Be A Great Teammate” (BAGT) and “Compete Like Crazy” (CLC) are the only two rules the Gretna Softball program actively pursues. Both of the statements shine through when sophomore Kylee Thompson describes her teammates as kind and passionate because they care about their entire squad more than themselves. The morals of BAGT and CLC are deeply implemented within all of the athletes. The softball program wants to be a safe place for girls to come together and connect with one another through the sport. The coaches want to show that Gretna Softball is about bigger ideas.
“We want everybody to have a great experience playing softball for Gretna,” assistant coach McKenna Nixon said. “We want as many people as we can have because the more people we have, the bigger our family is.”
The girls learn social skills, how to handle failure and that family does not have to be blood-related. In addition to that, they welcome every single player with open arms to be a part of something that is bigger than themselves.
