Lady Trojans looking for improvement under new coach

With a new coach and a new season, the Euless Trinity softball team is hoping for some new results as well.

The Lady Trojans have not reached the playoffs since 2014, their first postseason appearance since reaching five straight seasons (2005-2009). Last season they were 10-19, an improvement over a winless 2015 season, but they were 2-12 in district.

Jeremy Dettmer takes over the helm this season. He was previously a varsity assistant at Colleyville Heritage for four seasons.

Dettmer’s previous experience includes being the head softball coach several high schools in Iowa for a decade, along with being the head coach at South High School in Wichita, Kansas. He is a graduate of Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa.

“While a student, I was the equivalent of a graduate assistant football and softball coach. I also served as the first assistant for the Buena Vista University women’s basketball team,” he said.

After arriving in Texas in 2009, he coached ninth grade football and junior varsity softball at South Grand Prairie for three years before moving to Colleyville.

Ironically, he came to a softball career via college football. He did not play baseball past the eighth grade.

“While a student at BVU, my roommate and I became the managers for the BVU softball team,” he said. “While we were the managers, we became student assistant coaches. He is an assistant softball coach at Indiana University.”

Dettmer takes over a Trinity program that returns five players, including four starters. The list includes first-team all-district pick Kassandra Salinas, a junior, in center field. Also back as starters are sophomore third baseman Skylar Salgado, junior first baseman Linnea Kolanowski and sophomore utility player Ellle Kolanowski.

“Trinity is going to be very young. We have one senior,” Dettmer said. “We will be playing in a very difficult district, and our youth will be tested. Our goal is to focus on the process and those things we can control.”

Top newcomers include freshman catcher Mattison Brown, freshman shortstop Brooke Kirkland, sophomore second baseman Johanna Guerrero and sophomore catcher/outfielder Tierney Thomas.

“Being a head coach at a 6A high school in Texas is much different than a small high school in Iowa. There is much more organizational and administrative duties,” Dettmer said. “However, much of what I learned as a coach in small-town Iowa and as an assistant at [South Grand Prairie and Colleyville Heritage] have served me well.

“I have had an enjoyable time working with the girls and had a very positive experience with the parents. Everyone has a common goal of improving the program and elevating it to level where it is a consistent playoff presence.

“Coming to Trinity High School has been a great decision. I enjoy the students and have the privilege of coaching some great young ladies who are hungry to be successful and work hard every day.”

This story was originally published February 17, 2017 at 4:04 PM with the headline "Lady Trojans looking for improvement under new coach."