Briar Woods Softball has been a part of the school’s athletics almost since the opening of the school. Now, almost two decades later, BW Softball has been through its highs and lows, and plenty of changes.
BW Softball’s new coach David Wortman is the third softball coach in three years for Briar Woods. He says that “having to learn a different coaching style, a different personality, etc.” can be hard for players. This is not a universal that is limited to softball, however, as many athletes have to deal with coach transitions throughout their athletic careers.
Coach Wortman has found time to reflect on his experience here at Briar Woods stating that “the girls, their families, and the administration have been very welcoming, and it’s been great getting to know and work with the players.”
For Coach Wortman, these practices try to help teach “hard work, accountability, practice and play as a team, stay[ing] focused, open communication, and hav[ing] fun.” In order to play a team sport, or any sport really, these are things that every athlete must have in order to be successful.
Now more than ever, this year’s team is working hard to instill these practices into their everyday routine. Last year, the team made it to regionals. Coach Wortman himself says that “coming into the season [he] knew there were high expectations for this team.”
He also says that “each year is different and there are new challenges that arise,” and that there are “some really good teams in our district.”
BW Varsity Softball went 14-5 in the regular season. Coach Wortman is confident that “As long as [they] stay focused, work hard, and are a cohesive group, [the] team is dangerous.”
“Softball is a game that sets you up for failure. If you succeed or get a hit every 3 or 4 times out of 10 at bats, you are considered really good. That means you are dealing with failure 60-70% of the time. That’s tough for a lot of people to handle, especially people that are used to lots of success. I try to let our girls know that it’s okay to not get a hit every at bat, and errors do happen. If our process is good, things will work out, “ says Coach Wortman.
However, failure is not just something you encounter in sports, it is something that a person can encounter in nearly every aspect of life. The only thing that one can do is be prepared and have a positive attitude. Oftentimes, Coach Wortman says, it is about the little things, and “that even though they may not seem important, those can be the difference in winning or losing a close game.”
Many of the lessons learned through sports can be applied to everyday life as well, and vice versa, and if one thing is for certain, it is that it is hard for people to succeed without the help of the people around them. So, come out and support the Briar Woods Softball team throughout the playoffs and help them succeed!
