Falcon first baseman Allison Wood knows why her fastpitch softball team is going to have a winning season.
“There are six seniors on the team, and most of us have played together since Little League and on select teams,” she said. “We have a good feel for what works.”
That’s music to the ears of her dad, first-year Falcon coach Don Wood. He has taken over coaching duties from Chuck Burton; last year, the team posted a 10-10 record (12-10 overall) and advanced to the District 1 playoffs.
Before the first day of practice, Wood was hoping enough girls would show up to form a junior varsity team, but that didn’t happen.
“We ended up with 14 players, so that was a little disappointing,” Wood said. “But this is a solid group, a nice blend of experienced seniors and talented younger girls. Some of them have played for 10 years, others are new to it.”
Wood has been putting the team through a variety of drills designed to mingle fundamentals with higher-level skills.
“I feel it’s important to understand how the game works,” Wood explained. “It’s one thing for the coach to tell a player to bunt, but if she understands why she must bunt, that knowledge will be priceless.”
For its first outing on Friday, junior Katy Piehler will take the mound for the Falcons. Nikki Parra will catch, Allison Wood will cover first, with Melanie Martin at second, Alannah Alber at shortstop and Kelsie Dorpat at third. In the outfield, Maddie Hamilton will be in right field, Brittany Wood in left and Chantal White in center.
“Of course, those positions can change as the season wears on,” Wood said. “For example, Zoe Maeser and Allison may fill in as catcher.”
Wood has been involved in coaching the current crop of seniors since 2004-05, and was the head coach of the Island Intensity fastpitch select club for two years before his daughters came to the high school program.
“This might be the last time some of these girls play softball, and I want it to be a special year for them,” he said. “Winning would help.”
To that end, he’s been checking out the competition.
He said South Whidbey should be considered in the race against Archbishop Murphy.
“We’re a solid number-two team in the race for the top spot,” he said. “The Wildcats have a strong pitcher — Amber Manuel — coming back and Granite Falls will be fielding some very good hitters, so we have our work cut out for us.”
