LCC Softball Coach Meredith Gilpin: our team is energetic and competitive

What are your goals for this season?

Our first major goal for the season is to complete the season with a wining percentage of over .500. This would allow us to compete in playoffs that could potentially lead to the NJCAA World Series. We also have goals set for our team to always be moving forward and never taking steps toward a negative direction. We will continue to be competitive and grow Luna Softball in a positive light in the community and around the nation. We have and would like to continue the success of the softball program. I also have a team full of sophomores and would love at the end of the season for them to graduate with a degree and to continue higher education or softball. I take pride in telling my athletes that my goal has always been to make them better athletes, students, and most importantly better women.

How are things up to this point?

Things are wonderful up to this point. The girls are working extremely hard and are very dedicated to the program and to one another. I am very proud to know that we are building chemistry and a "family" amongst the team. The team has already improved since last year and I can see us progressing everyday. We have a positive workout or practice. The girls continue to work on fundamentals that are essential to have a winning program.

How good will your team be this year?

Our team will be as good as our team will let us be. The sky is the limit and the team has set very high expectations for themselves and as a team. I believe that if we continue on the path we are on, we will be very successful in winning games and making a name for Luna Community College.

What is your team's strength?

One of our team's strengths is the love of the game. All of the girls are there for a reason and that's to be a great student while playing the game that they love. We are very strong in pitching this year and our hitting and defense has become a great strength among the team. Another strength of ours is the hunger to never be satisfied. The team is always wanting more: to learn more, to achieve more, to do more, etc. Our strengths will continue to guide our team but also the acknowledgment that we can always add more strengths, will make Luna Softball something to be proud of.

What is your team's weakness?

Every team has strengths and also weaknesses. In our weakness also lies strength. Our weakness is that the girls are sometimes very stubborn. They will play with injuries and often sickness because they do not want to miss a day of practice or a game. They have the desire to not fall behind and do not want to disappoint the team. I have to remind them that sometimes it's better to miss one day then a whole week when the sickness or injury worsens. Our girls are learning in the game and what it takes off the field to stay at their peak performance. (Icing, extra stretching, etc.)

How is the attitude on your team?

Our attitude is very energetic and growing everyday. The team is growing together and the excitement is building for our first games of the season. The team always comes to practice ready and willing to work with whatever the coaches present to them. I love the attitude of our team and the journey we continue on. I believe that if that attitude stays focused then we will continue to be very successful.

Why should people go out and watch your team this year?

Like I stated above, our team is very energetic and will be competitive at all cost. Games will be exciting to watch and watching our team win will be something to enjoy. We take pride of being fundamentally strong and a force to reckon with on the field. We will have good sportsmanship and strong softball skills that will make the already fast paced game of softball even more of an experience. I encourage family, friends, colleagues, fellow athletes, the community, and whoever enjoys a nice afternoon at the park to come by and support our Luna RoughRiders' Softball Team!