Nevada Lady Tigers brace for new season, tough schedule

Thursday, August 21, 2008

The Nevada High School Lady Tigers softball team is geared up and ready for the start of their new season.

With eight returning starters -- including three seniors, three juniors and two sophomores -- head coach Brandi Thomsen has high hopes for the team. "I'm very pleased. I'm really excited for next week," Thomsen said.

No major changes have been made to the team this year overall, but Thomsen pointed out that they have been working heavily on simply improving confidence and learning how to work together as a unit. Included in the efforts to improve teamwork have been multiple team building exercises and activities, along with game play style practices rather than simply running drills.

As a result of these efforts, the overall confidence of this year's team has significantly improved. Thomsen said that the talent is there and the girls finally have the confidence to put that talent to use, knowing they can win.

Thomsen said that this year's team includes a tremendous amount of depth and a good representation from the upper classes as well as solid young players. "This group here, they've got talent," Thomsen said.

This year's team, Thomsen said, is full of solid talent with 11 players who could easily be varsity starters. Every player on the team has made a point of pushing everyone else to become a better player and work together to improve the team, along with providing motivation and praise to keep up a solid performance.

Thomsen was very pleased with the performance as a whole and pointed out that one returning player, Lexi Johnson -- who was seriously injured in a car accident last year -- has been a major motivation to the team as a whole and is making major improvements. "Her legs aren't quite where we'd like them to be, but she's hitting the ball well and her fielding is good," Thomsen said.

Johnson is not the only one showing improvement and promise, however. Thomsen said that the team as a whole has consistently shown improvement in all aspects of the game and will be up for any challenge that the season may bring.

Thomsen has stressed simply learning how to stay competitive with a confident mindset and motivation and improving the overall play of her team rather than simply working on individual efforts or skills and was obviously very pleased with the progress the team has made and the potential they possess, pointing out that many of the young players on the team have strong "varsity potential." The tough schedule that the Lady Tigers have this year has not fazed Thomsen, but has simply worked to motivate the team to perform better.

Thomsen noted that the team has not only shown a will to play, but are always willing and eager to continue to learn and get better. Thomsen said that each player on the team has shown a strong will to learn and continues to grow as a player and push every other player to follow suit.

No solid decisions have been made about what this year's lineup will be, but Thomsen said she is very confident that she and her coaching staff will be able to have significant leeway in deciding who to put on the field and still have a solid team. Hopes are high around the staff and the team for the season and the Lady Tigers will be in action for their season opener at home on Monday, against Clinton.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: