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West Craven junior Melinda Spillers winds up for a pitch during a game against New Bern earlier this season. The Eagles are currently 2-4 on the season after a winless 2007.
Liz Bowles/Sun Journal
A brand new attitude
VANCEBORO - First-year coach Matt Buckwalter has already brought a new attitude to the West Craven softball team this season.
That new attitude is to be competitive in every game.
After a winless season last year, West Craven has taken steps toward accomplishing that goal in 2008. The Eagles (2-4) have already claimed two wins over White Oak this season and will look to add to that today at Washington.
"We are coming out of a year where we didn't win a game last year," Buckwalter said. "So when you don't win a game, you can get an expectation of losing. That is something that the girls are working on changing."
The Eagles are looking to build a successful program for the future. It all starts with the four seniors on the team - Holly White, Chelsea Marine, Marisa Adams and Lauren Geis.
The Eagles are going to need that senior leadership this year, more than any of the past seasons. West Craven took away its junior varsity team and combined it with a varsity team. The coaching staff is hoping for the seniors to push and teach the underclassmen.
"The role of the seniors is really exciting because, if they can get the mentality that they are helping to build a program ... they can help us set the course for those freshmen,'" Buckwalter said.
Buckwalter has already seen vast improvement from his team. However, he is focusing on is getting the girls some confidence.
"We just have to keep our heads up and believe in, not only yourself, but each and everyone," Marine said.
According to White, the team has been playing well at practice, but the younger players tend to tense up during the games.
"I think we are nervous, a lot of these girls don't have experience at the high school level," White said. "They just have to get used to how high school is played. I think when we get a couple more wins under our belt, you will see it start clicking."
White, West Craven's catcher, was named the team's captain because of her vocal leadership.
"She has done a tremendous job for us, just leading us and being very vocal," Buckwalter said. "Actually, all my seniors are stepping up."
"There is heart on this team, we just have to find it," White added. "There is effort and we have a lot of younger talent because we only have one team this year."
Marine, the Eagles' shortstop, is the other vocal leader.
"I am very strict and I will be the first to admit it," Marine said. "I think the stricter you are the more they will listen and you've got to get your point across sometimes."
The Eagles' pitching staff includes junior Melinda Spillers and freshman Holly Harrison.
Freshmen Amanda Saul and Lizzie Barrow play in the outfield, along with junior Alix Stytle.
Adams plays second base, while junior Kelsey McMillen (first base) and Geis (third base) round out the infield.
Junior Jazz Harris, sophomore's Kaitlyn and Hayley Krotchick and freshman Ashley Saul are also key young players on the Eagles' roster.
"I think we have a very good team but I think we need to learn to work better as a team and be competitive in everything, not just the ones that we want to win or think we can win," White said.
Adam Thompson can be reached at (252) 635-5670 or at athompson@freedomenc.com.
