MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama softball head coach sat down with www.USAJaguars.com to recap this past fall and talk about the upcoming spring.  Below is a recap.

Q: What has stood out to you about your club so far?
A: The leadership and the work ethic have been the biggest two things so far.  This group is focused and shares a common purpose.  You can always tell when a team wants to be good or wants to talk about being good.  So far they have been doing the little things that good teams do.

Q: How would you grade your team's progression through the fall?
A: We have taken steps forward.  We put an added emphasis on the weight room this fall and are seeing both physical and mental results from our work in there.  [Strength and Conditioning] Coach [Callye] Williams has been an added asset to our team and has helped us make huge strides from the strength and conditioning side.  I think that will pay huge dividends for us in the spring.  Our on the field work has been efficient and I feel like will set us up for a great starting point when we come back in January.

Q: Do you feel you were able to accomplish the goals you set out to?
A: Our goal each fall is to stress the fundamentals and to help our returners and new players gel into one unit.  We still have a lot of fundamental work to do, but I feel like the groundwork has been set.  Like all teams in the fall, you feel like you can never get enough team time to really mold who you are, but that will come in the spring.  With that being said, even with the limited time together, I do feel like these guys have a pretty good idea of who they are as a team and what they are capable of.

Q: With 10 newcomers on your roster this season, how do you feel this fall has helped them develop team chemistry with the returning players?
A: Our team chemistry has been great and I anticipate it being one of our strengths in the spring.  I think that all starts with leadership and we have had some returners really step up and point people in the right direction.  Like I mentioned earlier, this group is focused and has a common purpose; leadership, work ethic, and common purpose are a great combination.

Q: Which newcomers stood out to you this fall? Were there any surprises in the performances of those new players?
A: I think Alexis and Brittani Reid have been a great addition and I anticipate both of them contributing in big ways this spring. Kam[dyn] Kvistad has the potential to add some much needed power to our line-up.  Hannah Smith adds depth to our infield at both the third base and second base positions and will add some offense as well.  Amanda Flynn gives us more depth in the outfield and contributes to our team speed.  Carmen Byrd has worked incredibly hard to make the adjustment to Division I and showed in the fall games she could contribute to our middle infield.  These are just a few who stand out but all of our new players have worked hard and have the potential to contribute this spring.

Q: Have any other returners stood out to you and showed improvement from last season?
A: The two who come to mind first are [Katelyn] Gruich and [Abby] Krzywiecki.  Both worked hard in the off season and I think having the first year under their belt has helped them come in knowing what to expect and more comfortable with everything.  They have definitely been more comfortable at the plate this fall and I think we will see increased production from them this spring.

Q: How do you feel the experience of playing against the Women's National Team this summer helped Devin Brown, Kaleigh Todd and MC Nichols?
A: Playing against the USA team was a great experience for all three and I am sure something they will always remember.  Realizing and understanding that you can compete with some of the best players in the world is a huge boost so I know all three have their own individual takeaways from their experience.  I am glad they had the opportunity to play on that stage and challenge themselves; I definitely felt like they held their own.

Q: As you wrap up the fall, where do you feel that your team made the biggest stride?
A: The biggest stride would be overall team mentality.  This group is focused and has taken ownership in the program and their team.  I feel like we have more grit and toughness this year and our work ethic has been solid.  This is a group who wants to be good and they work well together.

Q: Where do you think your team needs to continue to develop from now to the start of spring practice?
A: From the softball side, we are hitting more individual areas of improvement in eight hour.  They are getting more one-on-one when possible and working in smaller groups.  The first part of the fall was more general and team oriented and now we are hitting individual specifics.  We also need to continue to put in our time in the weight room and understand that making that side of it a priority is going to pay off big time in the spring.

Q: What kind of team do you feel you're shaping up to be this spring?
A: I think this team will be more balanced and have more depth than we have had over the past few years.  They are gritty and love to compete and their overall team chemistry is good.  If they will continue to work and stay focused I think they give themselves a chance for success this spring.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
    
Join the Bullpen Club, the softball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.  Members have access to purchase parking passes and receive Jaguar Softball gear.  All donations to the Bullpen Club go directly to support the South Alabama softball program.  For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/bullpenclub.

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