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“I say when we face off against each other I’m in a win-win,” laughed Lori Drake, head coach of the Norwood Lady Pirates softball team. “Either my team wins, or she wins. And I taught her everything she knows.”
Lori’s husband Kevin Drake is her assistant. The duo never lost to Seymour when their daughter Payton, a two-time all-state pitcher, played for them. So Seymour recruited Payton to be their head coach as soon as she was available. “To see your daughter on the other side is pretty neat,” said Kevin, with a laugh. “It doesn’t take away that you still want to beat them. Let’s make that clear.”
Two years after graduating from Norwood, Payton is now student teaching and coaching at Seymour. She’s embracing becoming a Tiger that’s changed her stripes. “We compare our lineups and I’ll be like, ‘I’d take my leadoff over your leadoff any day,'” said Payton. “And my dad will be like, ‘I’ll take my third hitter over your third hitter any day.”
This house divided is not good news for the rest of the Summit Conference though.
In fact, when they’re not playing against each other, they’re teaming up against them.
“I actually scouted another team she was playing and I made some notes for her,” said Lori, with a laugh. “And I said, “OK, these are some things you might incorporate into your practice.’ But then I’m like, maybe I should tell her after we play next week? Don’t tell her too early.”
“Before this game, I’m like, ‘Hey, do you want to send me the scouting report?'” said Payton, with a laugh. “And she’s like, ‘You’re playing us!’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, what’s the scouting report?'”
Last month Payton’s team beat her parent’s squad for the first time. It’s something that will definitely be discussed at Thanksgiving dinner. “Oh, it’s going to come up,” said Payton. “If it doesn’t come up, I’ll make sure it comes up.”
They’ve played four times in the regular season, with Norwood winning three. But the question of whether their summer matchup counts is up for debate. “We won in the summer, so I know who’s up,” said Kevin, with a smile.
“I didn’t have all my varsity girls,” said Payton. “And that was like my first time ever coaching. So that summer game doesn’t count.”
And you can bet, in every matchup going forward bragging rights will be on the line.
