By Moses Leos III.
Stick to the routine – it’s a mantra Lehman High softball head coach Bill Holmes instills upon his team daily.
Lady Lobo sophomore Natalia Barajas goes through fielding drills during a practice session on Saturday. Under second year head coach Bill Holmes, the Lady Lobos hope to vie for a playoff spot in 2014. (Photo by Moses Leos III) |
Even with Friday’s ice storm cancelling school, and subsequently practice, Saturday was like any other day for the team. They went through the same warm-up drills, focusing then on fundamentals.
The adherence to the small things is something Holmes hopes can lead to greater heights. Confidence is high, as the Lady Lobos aim to stay competitive in 2014.
Under Holmes, who had his first year at Lehman last season, the Lobos went 15-18 overall, 6-8 in 27-4A . Despite the record, Lehman was competitive, but couldn’t finish games. Holmes attributed struggles to inexperience in the circle. Despite the problems, Holmes lauded the effort of junior Angel Cruz, who finished with a 3.54 overall earned run average (ERA).
However, the lack of veteran experience cascaded to the defense. Eventually, the team narrowly missed out on the postseason by two wins.
“We let games slip away; (we) always seemed to have one bad inning,” Holmes said. “That’s something we’re not going to have this year.”
His confidence is bolstered by a new addition, pitcher Samantha Villegas, who transferred to Lehman High during the fall semester.
Last year at San Marcos High, Villegas completed the year with a 7-4 mark and a 2.90 ERA. With certainty in the circle, Holmes now aims to see progress at other positions.
Six returning starters will help.
Senior outfielder Alexis Trotter leads the team, with junior Angel Cruz also providing experience. Both held high aspirations, now that the team has a firm grasp of Holmes’ system. Both have seen progress on the field.
Cruz said Holmes one-on-one teaching style helps players grow. Trotter believes his adherence to routine and discipline are big factors.
“I learned … to be more disciplined,” Trotter said. “(Holmes) is good at teaching that. I went into last year with not much discipline.”
Also helping is a majority of the team playing select ball during the offseason. Trotter said league games helped players improve their skills.
The growth was evident for Holmes.
“I think (the players) grew a lot. They have learned that I expect structure; I expect consistency. To not cut any corners, and work on fundamentals,” he said. “They know what they need to do.”
It allows the upperclassmen to challenge the team. They want to build a winning program.
“We ask (the underclassmen) if they are ready to win. That’s the only thing we have to say,” Trotter said. “We all want (to win). We’re tired of being Lehman and being associated with losing. We want to change.”
