Coach Robert Klick said he loves softball, loves coaching softball and loves his Lady Texan softball team.
“We’re pretty young,” he said. “We’re building experience and getting better, beginning to gel as we’re going along.”
Preseason play has been tough. Players were getting used to new positions, shifting from one spot to another for efficiency and better team chemistry. Some younger players stepped in to fill roles and offer reassurance either vocally or in action to each other while senior and Navarro Junior College commit Addison Kirbo and East Texas (Whitehouse) transfer Grace Owens lent leadership to the youthful group.
Adversity can either tear apart a team or build it stronger as the members rally around one another. When times are difficult, character is both exposed and developed. This team is building character.
Klick isn’t one to make excuses when the scores aren’t going the team’s way, but he will look for the silver linings in obstacles.
“We’ve played some really tough competition so far and played hard in our tournament while facing 3A state defending champion Hallettsville and a strong 4A team in Canton,” he said. “We play the tough teams now to make us stronger for district play. It also helps us find areas to improve. As a result, the girls are really learning how to compete.”
Klick said the most recent tournament this past weekend in Burnet showed significant progress. The team faced tourney host Burnet High School and the 5A Hutto Hippos on Thursday then Killeen Chaparral High School and Glen Rose on Friday. They faced a solid 3A team in Little River Academy on Saturday, March 4, coming up just one run short while leaving Klick feeling encouraged by the effort put forth by the team.
“They’re making good contact and hitting the ball. They’re an awesome group of girls that listen, apply what they’re learning and are coachable,” shared Klick.
Wimberley’s district contains the usual suspects which means the fight for a playoff spot will depend on the Lady Texans winning the games they should and picking off a game or two they might not be expected to win. Boerne and Fredericksburg High Schools are top players in the field. Last year, Canyon Lake High School finished the season well and took third place while the Lady Texans claimed fourth and the final playoff berth. Davenport High School will be scrappy with a couple of players capable of changing the course of a game while Bandera can sneak up and steal a game playing the role of spoiler.
Klick’s team played at Marion High School on Tuesday in a preseason tune-up and will host Lytle on Friday, March 10 at 7 p.m. The Lady Texans begin district play during spring break on Friday, March 17 at noon (JV plays at 10 a.m.) against Canyon Lake.
Joe Smith
