University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
One Week In the Books
8/25/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Monday, Aug. 25, 2003
FROM THE DESK OF COACH - 08/25/03
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST
All of the girls managed to find their classrooms and get their books and take their physicals.
A lot of our fans (by the way "the best fans in the country") have asked me softball questions, so what I thought I would do is pose some of those questions to myself and then answer them - if you have a specific question, e-mail me at slotief@louisiana.edu:
Here goes, the number one question asked to me is:
HOW IS BROOKE MITCHELL?
Brooke basically "relaxed" and did not throw this summer. She was in Florida over the summer vacation at a Christian retreat.
Brooke is in better shape (physically, spiritually and academically) than probably most of us. She is such a special person - an awesome teammate, daughter, player, student.
She will deal with adversity and trust in her faith and her team to find a way to always to do her best. She will start throwing this week - hopefully all will be well.
I will never forget what played out in Fullerton at Regionals.
To recap: in the first inning, Brooke called us out to the mound and said that "something just popped in my arm"; she was pale and sweating and obviously in a lot of pain.
This was the championship game by the way – and she had no hit San Diego State in game one, and one hit Cal State Fullerton and then one or two hit Oklahoma State in the finals of the winner bracket. After a 20 minute delay in the game and a couple of warm-up pitches, her arm hurt so bad she could not continue. We lost game one 9-2.
In between games the trainer advised that she could do no further damage/injury to the arm, but she would be in considerable pain if she chose to pitch.
With her family's support (her dad, Dennis and mom, Cheryl - who were both at the game) - - how hard do you think that was on her parents? Cheryl and Dennis have supported us 100% - I know why Brooke is such the quality person she is - just get to know her parents.
With her team's support, Joy Webre took care of Brooke in the bullpen during warm-ups before the game, in between innings and during the game. Joy is such an unselfish, giving caring person. A catcher has to be - she has to take care of HER pitcher and she did and does.
And our offense took care of business in our first at bat - Jill Robertson hit a lead-off homerun - WHAT A STATEMENT. Did you think our girls were just going to lay down? Danyele Gomez then singled, Joy Webre doubled, Brittany Bryant walked and Tiffany Grayson (battling her own injury - a separated shoulder- and showing so much heart and determination) hit a 3 run homerun. The score after one inning 5 - 0 CAJUNS.
What I watched over the next 6 innings was truly remarkable. A pitcher battling every pitch, a team encouraging each other and making sure they were on their toes to make every play, we were so focused on the present moment - like never before all season, a bunch of die-hard FANS from Lafayette, Louisiana wearing red who cheered and yell and put every ounce of their energy into every pitch. That was a TEAM win - "US" and that game was a blessing and a lesson hopefully, we learned well.
WHAT IS THE SCHEDULE FOR THIS FALL 2003?
We will play a fall tournament in Beaumont October 4-5 and we will play in Spring Klein (Houston) October 11-12.
Remember last year that we did not win a game in the fall. Fall is for the purpose of forming impressions and getting a feel, a taste of what certain players can do - it is NOT the time to draw CONCLUSIONS.
This team has some question marks and this FALL is critical to our development and our mindset.
BREAKING NEWS --
Danyele Gomez and Becky McMurtry got inivited to the Olympic trials in early September 2003 - you heard it here first. What an honor for these girls to get an opportunity to wear RED, WHITE & BLUE and represent OUR team and this university and our country and be counted as one of the BEST in the world.
Everywhere I went this summer, everybody would come up to me and make a comment about "THAT BALL GOMEZ HIT OFF OF OSTERMAN" in the world series. What a shot! And did she hit some shots this year!
- Gomez hit a grand slam in her first ever collegiate at bat.
- Gomez hit a homerun in her first at bat at regionals.
- Gomez hit a homerun in her first at bat at the world series.
Did you see Jimmy and Annie and her grandparents jumping around on ESPN? How about Kay Dischler - our assistant A.D. - Kay can get up. I have to be honest, I saw that on the replay because at the time I was jumping myself. If you are a RAGIN' CAJUN or a fan of the "underdog" - you were probably jumping too.
Speaking of homeruns - how about Becky McMurtry going off against Jenny Finch in our series in Arizona 2 years ago - Becky hit 3 homeruns off of Finch in 6 at bats. Not too many people have done that - do you watch Finch on Fox pitch against all those major league batters - she strikes most of them out.
Best wishes to Danyele and Becky - we are so proud of them and hopefully, their journey and try-out will be inspiration to many young female athletes out there to dream BIG and know that ANYTHING is possible.
Speaking of Olympians - Alana Addison got married a couple of weeks ago to HER NUMBER ONE FAN - Clay. Congrats.
Alana was THE integral piece that transitioned this program and set the foundation for today.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN? She had the opportunity to transfer when Coach Girouard left - but she did not. She told me, "I love my teammates - I would never leave them". AND never leave them, she never did - her junior season - my first season as head coach - she CARRIED us - lead the country in RBI and smacked 15 homeruns. I will never forget the game winning home run against Arizona at the KIA - over the KIA car parked in centerfield.
And at the All-American banquet when she got her trophy and came back to the table, we were all smiling and giddy (especially her daddy - Ricky) and Alana was "straight faced" (more like momma - Jackie) and I said what a great honor - you are so deserving and she said "I wish my team was here'. What an awesome person.
One more Alana story - the next year at the KIA, she had a stomach virus and had not eaten solid foods for about 2 or 3 days and we told her it would be best not to play because she was so physically weak (she was never weak mentally - never) and she knew full well it would hurt her individual stats - guess what she did? She played. And guess why? Her team, for HER team - not for her or her stats or because she felt like it - because of her love of HER team. Guess what - another kid who is a REFLECTION of her parents.
Alana was the first native Louisiana girl to try-out for the Olympics - as far as I know. She made the Elite team and hit the historic homerun off of Lisa Fernandez to help HER Elite team (USA) beat the Gold team.
We wish Alana and Clay all the best -- Alana forever will be on OUR team and hopefully, I will always be on HER team.
HOW DO WE BUILD ON THE WORLD SERIES APPEARANCE &/or WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP?
1. Renew your season tickets. Bring a friend with you to the game.
2 Go to the football games this year. Support this UNIVERSITY and understand how vital it is to the economic growth and stability of our community. Do you read in the paper about all the great things happening at this university - the technology center, the new endowed professorships, the cognitive research with the primates, the wetlands research? AWESOME. I'm proud to be a Ragin Cajun and I am proud to have graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. I love walking recruits around the campus and telling them what my university has to offer. You know what every recruit and their parents tell me about this place: The faculty is so nice and helpful, everybody is so approachable and friendly, the people are good people. BINGO!
3. Solicit a GAMEDAY sponsorship - the form is or should be on our website. Every sponsor counts and matters - we want to get everybody involved.
4. Tell a young kid today to dream BIG, to believe in themselves and believe in the spirit and goodness of the human soul.
GEAUX CAJUNS!
P.S. Talk to you next week with more scoop. Thank you for all of your support and best wishes.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
