Lady Dragons ready to be back on diamond

Holyoke softball team is excited to take the field again for the 2021 season.

Coach Sherman Kage said he is thankful that the COVID-19 restrictions that were in place last year are over, but he noted that they taught good life lessons about not taking things for granted.

He said the team has lost some players because they graduated or elected to play volleyball this season, but he’s confident in the team’s ability.

He said one of the things he and coaches Kendra Schlachter and Alyssa Metzger will focus on this season is developing the players’ IQ of the game. He said that with a lot of young hitters on the team, teaching them to be disciplined at the plate, take pitches and work deep into counts will be very important.

He added that he will be looking to seniors Correy Koellner and Lauren Herman to be players the younger girls can look up to and follow.

Kage said that although Holyoke lost a key pitcher when Haley Van Overbeke graduated, he is confident that Emma Thompson and Aliyah Engle will take over the pitching duties and do well for the Lady Dragons.

He pointed out that the team’s motto has always been “Love in your hearts, trust in your eyes,” and the team will focus on getting better day by day.

Kage added that this is a goal that can be taken beyond softball and be used as a motto for life.

“The goal is to teach them how to be good humans and better themselves,” he said. “Those are wins in my book.”

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