The players on the Gatewood varsity softball team all share the love for the diamond and are excited for another season.
The Lady Gators head into the regular season as a young group made up of mostly freshmen and sophomores.
Seniors Eliana Tkacik and Taylor Moreno are the only upperclassmen on the roster, and head coach Dena Stancil acknowledged that their leadership will be important to developing a relatively inexperienced squad
“My lineup is made up of [seven] sophomores who have been playing together for the past two to three years, with some of them starting in the eighth grade, and that’s the main core of the program right now,” Stancil said. “I also have two seniors that have been invested in this program since middle school. They’ve come up with the same group of coaches since sixth grade, and they’re really the heart and soul of this program. They’re ready to lead and win some ball games.”
In addition to their passion for the game, Stancil also attributed the team’s willingness to acknowledge the fact that Tkacik and Moreno are knowledgeable of the sport.
“They are just all-around great players for this team and know how to lead. If I need an extra coach somewhere, they know what they’re doing,” Stancil said. “They know how to instruct and correct, but most importantly, the other girls on the team respect and listen to them, so sometimes I have to coach through my seniors.”
Last year, Gatewood finished the regular season with a 7-13 record, having only won one region contest against Edmund Burke Academy.
To motivate her players, Stancil tried to incorporate more game work this offseason. She believes that facing other programs in tournaments over the summer will help the Lady Gators as the season progresses.
“Over the summer, I gave them a lot of opportunities to see live-action softball. We practiced, but we were part of three different tournaments where the girls got to face other competition,” Stancil said. “We played well and held our own against other 3A and 4A schools, and I think that will help us be prepared for tough competition down the road.”
Stancil has been with the Gatewood softball program since 2018 and took over as the Lady Gators’ head coach at the beginning of last season.
With a full slate of games and the offseason behind her, Stancil believes she’s learned a lot about her relationship with the girls and tried to balance schedules so that everyone can improve.
“I’ve learned to listen to the girls, and have learned to deter from things that don’t work even if they’re a part of my plan. I’ve also tried to be more flexible with practices so that we could get everyone here over the offseason,” Stancil said. “I’ve also learned that the girls respect toughness, and I’ve learned to balance not being so rigid in my approach with still having expectations and wanting them to succeed.”
Looking ahead, Gatewood will play Georgia Military Prep on Aug. 15, and then jump straight into region play with its area opener against Edmund Burke Academy.