By Jack Harvey
Very few teams have to adjust to new coaches after a long run of sustained success. However, after winning seven straight city championships, the Lane Girls’ Softball team has had to adjust to their new coaches and stricter rules than before. Former coach George Stavrakas was let go following last season, and has been replaced by new head coach Devin Miller.
“I know most of the girls are very excited to get to know the new coaches better,” Hailey Pieruccini, Div. 470, said.
This is the first high school coaching job for Coach Miller, who played softball at UIC before becoming a coach.
“I was really excited to hear I got the job at Lane Tech,” Miller said. “It is great to be able to come in to a program that has had this success in the past and I am really looking forward to see what the whole program has to offer.”
The coaches acknowledge the team’s past success as a reason not to ask players to completely change. However, the coaches this year are stricter than in years before, and do not allow as much fooling around in the weight room and at practices.
“There’s always going to be a period where everyone is a bit uneasy with a new coach,” Miller said. “I feel as though it’s our job as coaches to show the players, especially the returners, that we have their back and that they can trust what we are trying to teach them and trust the process.”
The team has morning lifting at 6am two days a week and the players have to stay motivated to go.
“Sometimes it’s hard to wake up or go to practice, but I want to get better,” Pierucini said. “A team is only as strong as its weakest link, so if seniors are missing practice then that sets a bad example for everyone else.”
The team only has 40 minutes to complete their whole lift, so they have to work fast to get their work done. Practice is critical to the goals the team has for the season.
“I hope, and I know that putting in the extra workouts will definitely translate not only on the field, but within their team goals and work ethic,” Miller said. “I want to make sure our players are getting stronger the right way to win many games, and to make sure we have the stamina to go deep in the playoffs.”
The coaches and players have had to adjust to one another.
“The rules are stricter, and it’s definitely a different coaching environment,” Pieruccini said.
The players have done a good job staying focused on their offseason conditioning.
“So far the girls have done a great job of being open to everything we have asked of them, and have not had many difficulties adjusting,” Miller said.
One of the new things introduced by the new coaching staff has been individual workout plans for each player. On the first day of lifting, the coaches gave each player a workout sheet that varied depending on their size and strength.
“It is definitely more helpful than the general workout plan we have done the past few years,” Pieruccini said.
While there has been a lot of change in the program, the continued success of the team still hinges on the team’s performance on the field.
“Regardless of all the change, it still comes down to whether or not we want it enough and if we perform well when it counts on the field,” Pieruccini said.
