The Ludlow High School Varsity Softball team is scheduled to begin practice with their new coach Roger Fournier on March 16 at their home field at Baird Middle School. However, due to the abundant snowfall, the field will not be ready. So for now the team will practice in the back gym at LHS.

Typically, the goal of any season is to win games and make the play-offs; however, that’s not Fournier’s preseason focus.

“Winning is not my number one priority, but getting the players to understand what it takes to complete every pitch and every play for seven innings is,” says Fournier.

Fournier will stress teamwork and cooperation among the girls.

“My hope is build the confidence in themselves and their teammates as one unit to play as best as the can,” says Fournier.

The goal is to start the season on March 16, but due to the snow and wind chill factors, the season might begin late or begin indoors.

Last year the team went 4-16 and lost five seniors; second baseman Mandi Dorval, right fielder Gina Anselmo, occasional pitcher and right fielder Ashley Benoit, first baseman Kayla Perez, and infielder Mika Matias.

Former Coach Adam Graves has moved on and the players are hoping a new coach might help the team generate more wins and possibly make the play-offs. But right now there are more questions than answers.

“We don’t know what seniors are playing and we don’t know who’s making varsity,” says sophomore Megan Duquette. “It all depends on how tryouts go [but] I really hope we can be more successful as a team and improve our record from last year.”.

Fournier has spent many hours devoting his life to coaching softball. Ten years ago he was an assistant coach for his daughter’s traveling team and recently spent three years of his life coaching the Chicopee Metro Team.