Over 20 girls vie for softball spots
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Upton held tryouts for the Lady Pioneers 2007 squad on Monday at the Warren County High School field with 21 girls going through the three-hour workout.
In the past numbers have been higher, ranging usually around 30-35 girls. But Upton only has four to five spaces to fill as he lost four girls to graduation: Nikki Poe, Emily Smith, Penny Wanamaker and McCall Cooper.
Originally scheduled for two days, it was cut to one day due to the low numbers. For the first half of the tryouts coach Upton and his staff checked the girls? speed and quickness by clocking their time from home to first and from first to third.
Arm strength was next on the agenda as the girls took turns throwing from short to first and from the outfield to home plate. The girls tested their fielding skills and then took few swings off the pitching machine. The tryouts ended with several girls showing off their pitching skills.
?Right now I?m looking at keeping 18-20 girls,? Upton said. ?We lost four to graduation, but we have a very solid core of juniors and sophomores so we really don?t have that many openings this year. I usually would like to keep enough to have a varsity and junior varsity team, as the JV program really helps to build and prepare the girls for the varsity level.?
Rebuilding is a never-ending process, and when asked what he looks for in potential players, Upton remarked: ?I?m always looking for speed and quickness ? that?s something you can?t teach, but overall it?s just athletic ability and hustle. Someone who gets out there and gives it everything they have is the type of player I?m looking for.?
Upton hopes to have a roster for the Lady Pioneers as early as Friday.