After four consecutive seasons with less than 20 wins, the Ball State University softball team will look to change its mentality under new coach Craig Nicholson.
Ball State's previous three softball coaches all left the university with losing records. The last four seasons under coach Terri Laux, the Cardinals won less than 40 percent of their games.
"The key is changing the mentality," Nicholson said. "We believe we are going to win when we step on the field. Rather than finding a way to lose, we are going to find a way to win."
It will be a process in order to change the mentality of the team, Nicholson said. The team must work through tough situations and win close games for the attitude to begin to change, he said.
"I think as we start to have success in those situations, the mentality will start to change kind of on its own," Nicholson said.
Nicholson led Central Arizona College to four National Junior College Athletic Association National Championships and two runner-ups in 11 seasons. Central Arizona also won seven conference championships and eight regional championships under Nicholson.
He was also named the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Junior College Coach of the Year three times and the NJCAA Coach of the Year four times.
Senior Taylor Yancey said it was time for a coaching change.
"I love the coaching change, I really do," Yancey said. "Coach Nicholson and [assistant] coach [Stephanie] DeFeo both are very laid back."
Yancey said she was a little worried at first about the coaching change since this is her senior year. However, she said she is excited now.
"He tries to have a laid back atmosphere in practice," Yancey said. "He didn't try to come in and make a lot of rules and change a lot of knit-picky things. He tried to gradually get everybody into his philosophy."
Nicholson lets the upperclassmen lead the team, Yancey said.
This season's squad has two juniors and two seniors. Nicholson said he is not worried about the team's youth.
"It's a lot more about how you play than how old you are," he said.
Nicholson said he will incorporate the things that worked at Central Arizona into the Ball State softball program.
"We are going to try to play the game aggressively," he said.
One area in which the Cardinals will be more aggressive is running the bases, Nicholson said.
"We had so many more stolen bases just in this weekend than I ever remember having," Yancey said. "He is very, very aggressive on the bases and if you have any speed at all, he'll take advantage of it."
Ball State also saw a surge in power last weekend at the Lion Softball Scramble as seven players combined to hit nine home runs in five games.
"That's not a fluke," Nicholson said. "You will continue to see that happen all year long. I just think it is a reflection of our kids buying into our philosophy and that's the way we do things, that's the way we teach."
The single season record for home runs by Ball State is 18, which was set in 2005.
Nicholson has taught the players to change their hitting stance, Yancey said. Nicholson emphasizes starting with weight on the back leg so the players can transfer their weight and put all their power into their swing.
In the past players would swing early but now they wait for the ball to come to them, Yancey said. She said she is excited about the team's extra power.
"It's awesome," Yancey said. "I love having the feeling of knowing that if you're down by one run, the opportunity is there to hit a home run to tie it up."
The Cardinals now have an understanding of what they are trying to do at the plate, Nicholson said. Ball State will try to drive the ball more instead of pulling it, he said.
"Are we going to hit nine [home runs] every weekend? No," he said. "But we are going to hit our share throughout the course of the year."
Nicholson said it was good for the Cardinals to see the work they put in over the last five months pay off the first weekend.
He said the offense was real good and the pitchers also threw the ball well.
"We had a lot of bright spots last weekend and we just need to build on that success and keep things rolling in that direction," Nicholson said.
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