Softball is back for its next season at Athens Drive high school and looks to rebound after a 3-20 finish last season. The team is led by third-year head coach Andie Faircloth and assistant coach Melissa Hunt.

Practice for softball began in Nov. 2017. Since then the coaches have evaluated the people trying out on skill-based levels. The methods of practices range from simply running to unique and creative methods. One of these methods is the starburst activity where players pass the ball in a specific and complex order to each other.

“Softball is a mental game as much as it is a physical game. You are always wondering what am I going to do in this scenario, what am I going to do in this circumstance,” said Andie Faircloth.

Because of this fact the coaches put the players through situational practices which not only build up the body but also the mind.

“One word to describe practice is intense,” said Grace Brescia.

However it does not begin that way.

“At the beginning it was nice cause Faircloth was easing us into it,” said Brescia.

Practice begins fairly easy, but all of the while practice continues getting harder as the start of the season arrives.

When practices conclude, tryouts begin where the people trying out go through three separate phases. Day one of tryouts defense, day two of tryouts offense and day three of tryouts scrimmage. Each person trying out will do it independently. Once tryouts conclude, Faircloth evaluates on skill, ability and knowledge of the game as well as who gets cut.

“We had a wonderful year of growth in the previous year,” said Faircloth.

This year is expected to be an exciting one filled with a lot of hard work.

“We got a lot of work ahead of us this year. We have a lot of freshman interested which is good cause that’s how you build programs,” said Faircloth.

With the class of 2017 gone the doors are open for a lot of new faces. All in all the softball head coach has her eyes set on victory this season.

“Winning makes the sport fun, if I’m playing competitively I’m playing to win,” said Faircloth.