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Pac-10 In Print
• Oregon Softball Oregon Softball 2007 Written By Joanna Gail
Looking back on 2006, our team faced more adversity in one year than many teams do in several seasons. Plagued with injuries, illness, and various other setbacks, we could never seem to find a consistent rhythm. Ultimately, our rollercoaster ride of a regular season finished on a heartbreaking low as we failed to qualify for the NCAA postseason tournament. The 2007 Oregon Ducks are a whole new team. With the bitter taste of disappointment lingering from a 2006 season cut short, coaches and players alike were eager to implement fresh changes--with immediate results. New techniques inspired more productive and goal-driven practices. Positive chemistry off the field translated into upbeat energy on the field. Coupled with a solid base of leadership from our five returning seniors and a mix of talented newcomers, the outlook is encouraging. A collegiate softball season is one of the longest and most travel- intensive among all NCAA sports. Beginning in February, our team will travel 5 weeks in a row to preseason tournaments in warmer climates like Arizona, Nevada, California, and Hawaii. Before we can stop and catch our breath to prepare for the academic spring quarter, the Pac-10 season is upon us. Our March Madness means facing perennial softball powers like UCLA, Arizona, and California. Playing well also means playing longer, with the postseason schedule of Regionals, Super Regionals and the Women’s College World Series running all the way to the start of June. Long-road trips, lack of sleep, and staggering academic workloads take their toll on players. Weekends can be mentally and physically exhausting. Typical tournaments can consist of five games at 2-3 hours apiece. But to use the "long season" excuse would be an insult to the amount of intense training and practice my teammates and coaches have poured into this year. While it may vary slightly, nearly every softball team in the nation endures the same rigorous travel and play schedule. So how do we beat the odds, separate ourselves from other talented teams, win games, and excel into postseason play? We must merely accept the fact that if "being tired" is the norm, we have to go above and beyond that limitation. If being tired is standard among all teams, then we can no longer use that excuse as justification. Simply put, the best teams are the ones that continue to improve from February to June. If the Ducks can do that, if we can find a way to improve when other teams falter, not only will we be a better team at the end of the season than we are now, we’ll also be enjoying the highest peak of this year’s rollercoaster ride.
Joanna Gail
Previous Student-Athlete Blogs
January 2007:
February 2007:
April 2007:
September 2007:
October 2007:
October/November 2007:
January 2008:
February 2008: |
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