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The softball team prepares for their season.

Saints softball begins inaugural season on Feb. 6

Mon, Feb 1, 2010 - [Softball] - by Patricia Constantin

The Our Lady of the Lake University Saints softball team will kick off its inaugural season on Saturday with a double-header against Trinity Valley Junior College. The Saints played a few pre-season games in the fall, but will enter their official season this spring at the newly renovated OLLU Softball Field located on the east side of campus. The games are scheduled for 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Athletic Director Jack Hank will throw out the first pitch. Also, the Saints will welcome the Ballapeño from the San Antonio Missions, the Double-A Affiliate of the San Diego Padres.

As the season opens on Feb. 6, the Saints will find themselves competing in the NAIA Red River Athletic Conference against teams such as the University of the Southwest, Langston University, Bacone University, Nothwood University, Texas College, Huston-Tillotson University and Texas Wesleyan University. Although this will be fresh water for the team, it will be familiar stomping grounds for Head Coach Marie Stone.

Stone played at Texas Wesleyan University from 2004-2006, where she earned First Team All-Region honors in 2006, Red River Conference Co-Player of the Year in 2006 and Red River Conference First Team All-Conference in 2005. She also holds many TWU records that include career record holder for on base percentage and striking out 14 batters in a game.

"This conference is a nice fit for us," said Stone. "I know a lot about the other teams in the conference."

Entering a new season and new conference may seem daunting to other coaches, but Stone remains optimistic about her team's experience levels.

"I don't see experience being an issue with us." she said. "A lot of our girls have played at the highest levels of competition. We have several girls who played in the ASA (American Softball Association) U-18 Gold Nationals in Oklahoma City, and we have several others who have competed at that same level."

This experience, combined with the three juniors and six sophomores on the team, provides Stone with a confident outlook on her team's ability to compete within in the conference.

"I feel like I have 20 women who can play any position out there," Stone said. "Each one of them has the potential to have a breakout season."

The Saints have managed to bond together quickly, she said. Stone is also quick to note the team's work ethic.

"They don't see hurdles, they see challenges," she explained, "And they love it."

To help overcome the challenges, Stone hired Jessica Sanders as the team's assistant coach. The hire was an easy decision for Stone, as she was already familiar with Sanders from their time spent in Georgia.

"She was just finishing her playing career while I was coaching at the college level," Stone said. "We kept in touch and I joked with her that if I ever got a head coaching job, I would call her."

Stone feels Sanders is a perfect fit for coaching due to her passion and knowledge of the game.

"We both have the same hitting and defensive ideas and strategies," she said. "We complement each other well."

Furthermore, she also feels the assistant coach is perfect for OLLU's first season because, just like Stone, Sanders loves the idea of starting something new.

"You get to create your own standards for the women," Stone explained. "In return, our team will create that culture for future students here."

However, it's not just on-field effort that Stone is excited about. She is also amazed at the team's work ethic and eagerness inside the classroom.

"They're really focused and excited about their schoolwork," she said. "They are always telling me about their grades and how well they do."

Some of the highlights on this year's schedule include the team's first conference game Feb. 13 against the University of the Southwest, a March 16 matchup against Stone's former team, Texas Wesleyan University, and the Saints' season finale April 20 against the University of Houston-Victoria.

The March game with Texas Wesleyan isn't special just because of Stone's prior history with the school; the match will highlight the team's effort to raise awareness for breast cancer.

"We plan on doing something special that day to raise money and awareness," Stone said. "I've also talked with the coach from Texas Wesleyan and she plans on doing the same thing up there when we visit them."

The April 20 double-header with the University of Houston-Victoria is something different for a college program. Typically, a sports program will honor its departing seniors during the players' last home game. At OLLU, a program without seniors, the plan is to honor the team's parents.

"I figured because we have no seniors, we should honor the parents," said Stone. "They're the ones who have supported the kids and the program. This is our chance to say ‘thank you' to them."

With all plans in place for the season, Stone's attention now turns to executing those plans. While she admits that she has her own goals for the team, she wants the players to set their own goals.

"As coaches, we have high expectations for the team, because we know the caliber of players we have here," Stone said. "But we want them to set their own goals, both academically and athletically."

With each side setting their own goals, Stone's intent is to make sure the women take their work seriously, yet maintain an aura of fun.

"It shouldn't ever feel like a job," she explained. "We make it enjoyable for them."

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