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COLUMN BY MATT PRANGER |
Previous columnsList of columns written by Matt Pranger | |
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Second in state, number one in attitude
posted 05/30/01
A winning attitude began growing in the Wolverines at the end of the 2000 season, which included trials on and off the field. The Wolverines readied themselves for their record-setting season by "persevering through real adversity," Woodward said. The 2000 Wolverines improved with each game. "I remember all of us feeling really good about the way we ended the season," Woodward said. That hunger for victory carried over into this year. This year's team walloped the ball and put zip into their throws. Their extra effort in batting and fielding practices began paying off with wins. Fans started realizing that the Wolverines' 20-4 wasn't a fluke as they started to tally 10-run victories. A group of experienced ball players provided key role models on and off the field. "The veteran leadership really took a hold of the team from the beginning of the year," Woodward said. The Wolverines also benefited from outstanding coaching from Woodward and Assistant Coach Kevin Carlton. "We had the best coaches in the state," Angela Williams said. "They had so much faith in us." Woodward, a former prep basketball coach, probably put in his finest head- coaching year of his career. He deserves the league's top honor and then some. The girls also received tremendous support from their parents and the rest of the San Juan Island community. Substantial crowds turned out for their games. Volunteers helped at practices: Norm DeGraaff and Athletic Director Cal Johnson tossed pitches. Johnson also was instrumental in the steady upgrading of the Wolverines' field. "We have an awesome athletic director," senior outfielder Angela Williams said. "He put up with so much." "We'd like to thank the community for the support," senior catcher Katie Carlton said. More than anything, though, the Wolverines played as a true team. That's quite an accomplishment for a squad with three sets of sisters and a father coaching two daughters. "We were a Big Family," senior second baseman Katie Earley said. If a player stumbled emotionally, her teammates lifted her up and prevented her from pulling down others. "We all felt we could talk to anybody," Earley said. If the team trailed, the Wolverines' enthusiasm remained high. "No matter how far down we went, we kept cheering," Earley said. All this culminated in the Wolverines finishing the runner-up to the Class 3A/2A/1A State Slowpitch Champion. Second-best wouldn't have been enough for many teams, but this year's Wolverines kept winning and losing in a healthy perspective. Instead of moping in their rooms after the title game loss, the girls were smiling and splashing each other in the pool, content with achievement. "I had a great season, it was the best season I've ever had in any sport," said senior catcher Katie Carlton. "I'm sad it's over, but I'm glad I'm leaving with such a great memory of our team." Earley, one of the most tenacious athletes on the squad, put the year in perspective: "We just had fun." |
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SAN JUAN ISLANDER © 2008 |
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