When former Head Softball Coach Denny Davis hung up his hat last spring, his eight-year counterpart, Joe Woityra, stepped up to the plate.
‘It’ll be hard,? Woityra says of the team’s first season without Davis after 37 years. ‘He lightens the mood, and I’m finding out some of the things I didn’t realize he did that I have to do.?
Though Davis isn’t at the high school anymore, he’s still active in coaching middle school volleyball and football. Woityra heads up middle school wrestling, and the two still chat when their teams practice at the same time.
‘If he’s not coaching, he’s either ice fishing or at the casino,? Woityra said, laughing.
Like Davis, Woityra is a longtime Dragon, and he put his children through Lake Orion schools. But that’s about where similarities between the two end.
‘I’m a little more intense ? well, a lot more intense, really,? said Woityra. ‘Denny could relate to the girls really well and they like him. We played good guy-bad guy and it worked well for us.?
Without Davis, the new head coach says the team and coaching staff will be ‘a little more aggressive.?
‘We might demand a little bit more out of the girls than in the past, but that’s only because I think we have the talent to do that,? he said.
Woityra says he will also stay on the bench, while most head coaches take on third base.
‘I like being on the bench. I like to keep track of where the other team’s hitting and players coming in and out,? he said.
This year’s roster holds 16 varsity players, which is four or five more than previous years. And though the team is young, with two freshmen, six sophomores, five juniors and three seniors, the coach says they’re experienced.
‘That’s one thing about this team ? almost from top to bottom, softball is a year-round sport for them. They play during the summer, they play fall ball, they literally take December off and they start practicing for spring,? he said.
Woityra added, ‘We’re 16 deep so we can interchange. We’ve got a lot of maneuverability. I’ve stressed hustle, hustle, hustle and if you’re not going to hustle, there’s someone sitting on the bench to take your place. We’ve not been able to say that in the past.?
The team’s goals for this year will be to win districts and make it as far as they can into regionals, according to Woityra.
‘It’s going to be a long haul. We’re in the OAA (Oakland Activities Association) Red, which is the top division and should be very competitive,? said the coach. ‘Everybody’s got good pitching, but I think unless someone gets hot, we should be near the top.?
He says Troy and Clarkston will be two of the girls? biggest foes, along with Oxford, West Bloomfield and North Farmington, who went 20-0 last year and moved up from OAA white.
To take on those opponents, Woityra says he’ll lean on seniors Tessa Tomlin (all-state outfielder) Jessica Bays (all-region first baseman) and Megan Dyer (the team’s number-one pitcher.)
Dyer is currently sitting out for an ankle injury and will probably be back in two weeks.
Injuries, says Woityra, were hurting the team even before the season started.
‘We’ve had four injuries already but we’ve got everybody back except for Megan,? he said. ‘She won 13 games last year so we’re counting on her to be our horse.?
Adding to the team will be junior pitcher Sandra Rippon, who already shut down Adams in a scrimmage this year.
‘She’s really hard at about six-feet tall and 100 pounds. She’s improved 110 percent in the last year,? said her coach. He added, junior Julia Basso had a ‘really good first two games,? and Danielle Guldi has ‘worked extremely hard.?
In the season openers against Avondale, Lake Orion won both games at 3-2 and 10-1.
‘I think we were nervous the first game. The second game we hit quite well,? said Woityra.
He said Paige Hamay ‘started out big? in the first game with two home runs that kept the team in the game. Emily Pillivant ‘came up with a big hit? for the third run in the first game in the sixth inning.
The girls played at West Bloomfield Wednesday and will face Mott on Dragon turf Friday at 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.