Just nine players. That’s the number of players with softball experience that Lake Ridge softball coach Cindy Manley has at her disposal.
Not only does Manley have just nine experienced players but only 15 on the entire roster, but Lake Ridge only has a varsity team -- no junior varsity or lower. Lake Ridge’s first year in softball is under way, and Manley knows that with the extreme youth on her roster, it isn’t going to be the quickest of starts.The Lady Eagles don’t have a win yet this season, but that doesn’t mean Manley isn’t proud of what’s going on with Lake Ridge softball right now. She is especially proud of her experienced players and what they’re doing for the younger ones.“You have to adjust every drill you do. They have to watch first and we have to go a little bit slower,” she said. “The other kids have been amazing. They’re patient, they help, they’ll show them stuff. They’re learning a ton. They probably still learn something every single day.“We’ve come a long way in the past few months. I’m pretty proud of them. We’re not winning yet, but that’s going to come.”Manley has a little experience with new programs -- she became head coach at New Braunfels High School in its softball program’s second year. That team went 1-19, and Manley said it was almost like starting a new program.She’s used to some of the things that come with a young program, but Lake Ridge is a different challenge, she said.“I came from a small school, so I did everything anyway,” she said. “It is different to not know any kids, or no traditions have been set and there’s no expectations. That part is a little bit tough.”Sometimes that means being a little more patient. With six players who have never played softball before, Manley said you have to approach it differently then with a veteran team.“There are days where I feel I’m super patient,” she said. “Then there’s days I just kind of yell something really quick. I forget.“I have to remind myself, daily, that they don’t know better, you’re still teaching them. I just have to tell myself every day, they’re still learning.”Despite all the disadvantages presented to Manley and her players, she doesn’t want them to use it as an excuse. She wants to motivate her team to get better and push through. She told the team she doesn’t want to be 0-8 in district play.Sooner or later, and for Manley, hopefully sooner, the Lady Eagles will get eventually come together.“It’s a tough situation,” she said. “These kids all went to different schools last year. We’ve had to slow things down a little bit. That’s the hand we were dealt.“Every team finds a click somewhere. We’re still waiting for our moment.”Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
