ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: New Castle softball team bonding ‘As One’

By John D'Abruzzo
New Castle News

May 07, 2008 03:37 pm

— Sometimes respect can be the best motivation.
Amy Johnson will agree to that.
The first-year New Castle High softball coach has witnessed a complete turnaround in a program that was winless three years ago.
“They’re tired of losing is what it comes down to,” said Johnson, who is a 2003 New Castle graduate. “They are willing to do whatever it takes because they are so tired of losing. They want the respect and want to be known.
“They’re playing for pride. To them, it’s all pride.”
Johnson was hired Feb. 20 — less than a month and a half before the start of the regular season — to replace Chris Joseph. The former coach led the team to a 7-38 record in three seasons before the school board opened his position.
Nevertheless, the Lady ’Canes (9-5 section, 10-5 overall) found ways to win and even clinched the program’s first-ever playoff berth and secured second place behind Ellwood City Lincoln last week. New Castle, which rode a four-game winning streak through the end of last week, defeated Hopewell and knocked off both Blackhawk and Moon in WPIAL Section 1-AAA play.
“It was a great weight lifted off our shoulders,” Johnson said. “(Now) we’re not playing every game like it’s our last game.”
For its performance, the New Castle girls softball team is Lawrence County’s Athlete of the Week, as selected by The New Castle News sports staff. The award is sponsored by Washington Centre Physical Therapy.
“It’s a team game and everyone is stepping up,” Johnson said. “Even the girls on the bench are supporting the girls in the field. Everyone has played a role and they’re starting to believe they can play. When they had to make the big plays, they made the big plays.
“They’re believing in themselves and when they do that they can do more.”
Clinching a postseason spot has only boosted the team’s confidence level.
“Our team slogan is ‘As One’ and we have bonded as one,” junior utility player Shannon LaMont said. “When we’re down, we try to keep ourselves up. And when we’re up, we try to keep ourselves from getting down and let teams get into the game.
“We felt as a team that we have finally gained the respect that we really wanted all along. We wanted to make statement that softball isn’t a minor sport like they say it is at the school.”
Shelby Rodgers has been a catalyst for the Lady ’Canes. The junior catcher ranks third in the county in batting with a .578 average (26 for 45). She also had eight doubles, three triples, two home runs, 18 RBIs and 26 runs scored.
“We’ve been hitting well lately and scoring a lot of runs to help our pitchers out,” junior catcher Shelby Rodgers said. “Those runs have helped our pitchers out so there wasn’t a lot of pressure on them.”
Sophomore second baseman Gina Droeder believes the pride factor has a lot to do with the team’s success.
“We never made the playoffs before and that made it all the better because no one has faith in us,” said Droeder, who is batting .370 and 19 runs scored. “We’ve had a horrible reputation because of the losing. But we got so much better this year.”
New Castle has also relied on a pair of pitchers.
Sophomore Sarah Chill is 5-2 with a 2.28 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 46 innings. Sophomore Alissa Smith is 5-3 with a 1.97 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings.
A few girls even credit the team’s success to their new coach.
“Amy is pushing us more,” Chill said. “She doesn’t put up with anything. She makes us do what she says whether we like it or not. She motivates us and makes us want to play.”
LaMont added, “She’s just a girl like us. She’s trying to prove herself to all the men coaches out there that girls can do anything if not better than what the guys can do.”

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