DHS softball excited for fresh start

The Daleville High School softball program has been down for a number of years but new head coach Scott Parker hopes to change that and has his Lady Hawks excited for the future.

The Lady Hawks have gone 4-74 in the past four seasons, including 1-17 last year, and haven’t made the state tournament in more than a decade.

Parker has been a softball coach in the state since 2009 and his teams – which include Headland, Cottonwood, New Brockton and Carroll – have won four area championships and made three Elite 8 appearances in the state tournament. Parker plans to bring that success to Daleville but he knows it will be challenging.

“We’re young, we’re very young,” Parker said of his team. “Young isn’t bad, though. We have time to work with them and get them better.”

The Lady Hawks boast just two seniors in Nina Reynolds and Lauren Perkins, and Perkins did not play last season, but Parker said that age doesn’t mean anything to this team.

“I don’t believe in seniority,” he said. “You get what you earn and if you get out there and produce then you’ll be on the field for this team. There are several players on this team that have the potential to be a lot more productive than last year, too.”

While Parker said that his team has been rusty since beginning practices last month that will change, as well.

“We’re rusty,” he said. “We don’t practice enough in the offseason but we’ll get to where we do that, too. We’re doing a lot to teach skills and just game knowledge right now.

“They’re working hard, so that’s good. We’ve made progress but we have a long way to go.”

Parker said he wants to win every game that the Lady Hawks play but his ultimate goal is simply to get better, something that has been a struggle in the past for Daleville.

“I want to improve every week,” he emphasized. “That’s the big thing right now. I want to win every game and we know that’s a tall order but regardless, I want them to play to win every game.

“If they’re doing that and they’re improving every week then I feel good about that. I would much rather us improve and not win than win and not improve.”

The Lady Hawks have a busy schedule this season, starting with the season opener against Houston County on Feb. 25 and a matchup with Carroll on Feb. 27, both on the road.

After Daleville plays at a tournament in Slocomb Feb. 28-29, the Lady Hawks then travel to Slocomb again for a doubleheader on March 3. On March 10, Daleville will finally host the home opener against Geneva County at the start of a five-game home stretch.

The Lady Hawks follow up with an in-school game at 1:30 p.m. against Samson on March 11 and then host Abbeville (March 12), Pike County (March 16) and Carroll (March 17).

Daleville returns to the road on March 19 against Samson and then travels to Carroll for tournament action March 20-21.

The Lady Hawks follow up with another road game against Elba on March 24 and a road showdown with New Brockton March 26.

After spring break, Daleville returns home against Houston County on April 7 and is back on the road against Geneva County on March 13 and Pike County on April 14.

Back at home, Daleville battles New Brockton on April 16 and then hosts the Daleville Invitational April 17-18.

On April 20, the Lady Hawks travel to Abbeville and then host Elba for the final regular season home game on April 23. On April 24-25, Daleville will close out the regular season with an appearance in Highland Home’s Lady Squadron Tune Up Bash before the area tournament begins on April 27.

Before the season begins, though, Daleville will be hosting the first Lady Hawks Kids Clinic and Hit-A-Thon on Feb. 20.

From 4 until 5:45 p.m. Parker, his coaches and the Lady Hawks will teach girls from the sixth grade down to first grade softball skills.

“We want to get out there and work on some skills and drills that they can do at home,” Parker said. “I also want our girls to see these kids that are looking up to them and realize that have someone to be a leader for.”

Following the kid’s clinic, the Hit-A-Thon will take place where each Lady Hawk player gets 10 hits. Each player has gotten pledges from parents and Daleville residents.

How much the team receives from those pledges will be based on each player’s longest hit. For example, if a person pledged $1 per foot and a player hits a homerun, which is 200-feet, then the team will receive $200 from the pledger. All of the money will go into buying much-needed equipment for the team. The Hit-A-Thon begins at 6 p.m.

Admission to watch the Hit-a-Thon is free and concessions will be open, as well.