By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Get ready for Springfield Catholic softball.
Catholic will field a varsity softball team for the first time this spring.
The Irish will practice on an updated field at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School. They will play home games at the Cooper Park softball fields.
Catholic’s head coach is Susan Provance, who coached a variety of sports – including softball – at Parkview for 26 years.
“We’re excited to just walk out on the field for the first game and realize that we’re the first softball team representing Springfield Catholic,” Provance said. “It will be history. We will set the bar and pave the way for many future players to come.”
Catholic plays its first game March 24 at home against College Heights Christian.
The coaching staff is emphasizing a positive approach.
“We might overthrow the gal on first base but we will do it with gusto,” Provance said. “We are hoping to have so many baserunners that we can run with abandonment! We might swing for the fences but we will celebrate a successful bunt.
“We expect the players to give us their best efforts and find personal satisfaction that they supported their teammates, grew wiser every game and improved with each practice.”
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The Irish will start the season with 12 players. Eight are freshmen.
“I made everyone promise to not get sick or injured,” Provance said, jokingly.
Catholic already has its most important positions locked in. Freshmen Brooklyn Barnes will pitch and sophomore Madison Ruess will catch.
“And if Madison and Brooklyn can’t show up, we make a phone call to the opponent to re-schedule the game,” Provance said.
Barnes, despite her grade level, is one of the team’s most experienced players.
She has two years of junior high and travel ball experience.
“She is a lean, mean pitching machine at 104 pounds,” Provance said. “Brooklyn is worth her weight in gold.”
Sophomore Shelby Kindhart will play first base.
“She brings experience, talent, speed and the ability to hit and slap,” Provance said.
Catholic will have two juniors – Ella Collins and Lauren Haynes – on its roster. The remaining players are all freshmen: Aleah Appleby, Clara Ahmadnia, Samantha Fry, Larissa Holland, Avery Johnson, Frances Thomas and Emily Wieberg.
Versatility is key.
“Every player will need to work on developing the skill to play more than one position,” Provance said. “We probably have players that have more infield experience and need to work on developing three outfield players. Everyone will be a starter before the season ends.”
Catholic’s middle school softball program enters its third season this spring. Players come from St. Agnes, Immaculate Conception and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
“We have some great players coming up. The parent booster club has stair-stepped summer leagues from 1st grade on up,” Provance said.
Provance has experience with launching a softball program.
She and Missouri Sports Hall of Famer Cindy Henderson Snead helped bring the sport to Springfield Public Schools. Provance also served as an assistant coach under Snead at Parkview.
Now, Snead along with Emilee Jones will serve as assistant coaches on Catholic’s three-person coaching staff.
“Cindy is not just the best ever, she is the best there ever was,” Provance said. “I have learned to quote her and most of the time it makes me sound pretty smart.”
Snead will work with Catholic’s catchers and pitchers, and throw in her “Hall of Fame expertise,” Provance said.
Jones was a coach for Catholic’s middle school program last year.
“Emilee brings that youth and vitality to our coaching staff,” Provance said. “We will coach by committee. It will take the three of us plus some parent volunteers to cover both the middle school and high school schedules.”
Provance has most recently worked at the Springfield Greene-County Park Board, helping with programs programs like youth T-ball, senior softball, men’s fast pitch and Springfield’s three college softball programs.
“I expect the players to give me their best effort and I will in return give them my best effort,” Provance said. “It will be a great feeling playing in the first district game and representing Springfield Catholic as an official MSHSAA varsity softball team.”
