The inside story...

By Tanya Hall - Lady Viking softball senior

May 16, 2008 12:47 pm

— Any avid reader of The Morehead News will know the Rowan County Senior High School softball team’s record, players, coaches, and scores. But only a few can tell you what happens off the field. Sure we have the typical routine, as any other team, to prepare for a game. However, we also have road trips, unusual practices, Larry Slone as a head coach, twenty completely different personalities, and six, almost in-charge, seniors.
Every season we come together again to play another round of softball. We bring our ambitions, goals, friendships, and passion back to the diamond to battle for the region trophy. Having earned a trip to the state tournament last season, the pressure has been placed upon us to repeat the victory.
The majority of the players started this club in middle school. We began about 5’1 and scared to death of Slone, and have ended up a happy bunch and quite often, scaring Slone to death. During our games when you can’t hear him around the world, he’s in the dugout at the edge of his seat, biting his nails, and hoping that we can make it through another game with a win (and usually without a ton of errors). And because of that along with a million other reasons, I love you coach Slone…
We have grown to play as a team, and love each other like a family, and you are the Papa of our bunch.
Graduating a class of six this year seems to be a little stressful at times on him. Even though he has made each of us cry at least once, he has made each of us a tremendously greater player. And even though Mrs. Jones and Ron O’Hair may not admit it as often, they’ve secretly told us that we’re their favorite class and no other group will surpass our wisdom, talent, and charm. (But to the underclassmen, you are all great ball players and it has been an honor for me to play with you. Don’t worry though, there is still hope to make the coaches love you as much as they love us, just work hard, and love the game.)
I can easily tell you that the six of us get along better than any other senior class. We know one another like the backs of our hands and would hop in front of a ball any day for each other. To Erica, the team ditz, Danielle, the quiet one, Laken, the legs, Amelia, the angel, and Stefanie, the voice of reason, I love you all very much and can only hope that wherever I go in life I have a bunch of friends as amazing as you guys.