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Englewood Softball Preview
Raiders counting on team chemistry
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Staff photo by Joe Camporeale
Senior catcher Brielle Klein works on her bat speed and coordination during an inside hitting drill.
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By Jonathan Cheung
Staff Writer
Published: March 26, 2008
With reasonable and realistic goals set for the upcoming softball season, it’s all about improvement for the Maroon Raiders.
"We want to beat our old record by winning five games this season," said sophomore Becky David. "Last year we gave up during some games, but this season we want to show ourselves that we’re capable of better."
There’s a new attitude that’s sweeping the Englewood team and coach Shannon McGowan has never seen such determination in the team’s work ethic.
"They’re dedicated and it helps a lot because we’re not a big program, but an athletic one," said McGowan. "Our pitching has grown stronger, which will help us on the defensive side."
The lineup also poses a potential problem. Although it’s not as deep as McGowan would like, the three-year coach is confident that her girls will step up.
"One of our weaknesses is not having enough depth in the batting order," said McGowan. "As coaches, we like speed at the top, power in the middle and both at the bottom. We just need a little bit more speed at the bottom."
Along with their athletic ability, another aspect the girls are counting on to get through the rigorous softball season is their team chemistry. This intangible took years to develop, but the Raiders feel that at this point it’s more influential than ever.
"One of our strong points is our communication and we’re relatively new, being together for only two years," said senior Nenha Young. "But we now actually are familiar with everyone’s abilities. The key to the season is going to be our ability to stay cohesive and together."
Earlier this preseason, in a scrimmage against Leonia, the Raiders were pleased with the results. Although Englewood lost in a close game, the team’s togetherness and chemistry was something to talk about.
The rest of the preseason has also been going according to plan.
"We’ve been more aggressive, especially at the plate," said Brielle Klein. "Everyone’s working really hard and giving 110 percent. It’s a fun team, but we do take our responsibilities seriously."
McGowan plans to continuously raise the bar for the squad to keep progressing toward a successful season.
"This preseason we’re working on more situational play and game knowledge to build confidence on the field, said McGowan. "I’m going to put more pressure on them because I feel that I have kids that work hard."
Last season’s record: 4-18
Key players: CF Nenha Young, senior; C Brielle Klein, junior; P Becky David, sophomore; SS Nicole Chen, P Nada Kittaneh, freshmen
Outlook: The Raiders have a good pitching combination in David and Kittaneh, but the lack of experience and young players could be a factor.
E-mail: cheung@northjersey.com or call 201-894-6709
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