Softball 4/2/2020 12:51:00 PM

Millikin Softball Coaches Making Contact

          Having their seasons suddenly stopped due to the CO-VID 19 crisis was difficult for sports teams around the country. The timing of the stoppage was especially hard for the Millikin University softball team who was enjoying a 10 game winning streak during their 14 game trip to the Spring Games in Florida.
          After starting off the season with three home losses in the cold temperatures of Central Illinois, the team regrouped and headed to Florida unsure of how their season would play out. Millikin Co-Head Coaches Whitney Sowers and Katie Tenboer are firm believers that a strong emphasis on a "team" culture is as important as the talent on the field. They had faith that if the team pulled together good things would happen. Before the first game in Florida, the Big Blue coaches made a major change to their lineup that saw two of their seniors change positions. Kalli Farmer a three-year starter and two-time All-Conference performer moved to catcher. Farmer had played the last 91 games at shortstop for the Big Blue. Returning starters, third baseman Alyssa White moved to second and second baseman Cassidy Knoerzer took over at shortstop. Freshman Gretchen Gould and sophomore Kaylee Goluch now had more prominent roles in lineup. Such a shakeup could have been disastrous for many teams, but not for the Big Blue players who were committed to doing what was best for the team. It worked and the Big Blue rolled past opponents winning 10 straight games and team chemistry was getting stronger every day.
          March 12 was an off day for the team when the announcement was made that the NCAA was calling off all winter and spring championships due to the CO-VID 19 crisis. Sowers and Tenboer then got the call from Director of Athletics Dr. Craig White that their season was over effective immediately, classes were going to an online format and that the team should get home as soon as possible. After enjoying a team pool party, the coaches and players headed back to Illinois unsure what the rest of the semester and their daily lives would hold.
          Once the players returned safely to their hometowns, Sowers and Tenboer knew staying connected to the players was important. They regularly reach out to the players individually offering support and any assistance they can provide. Not seeing the players on a daily basis is a major adjustment for the coaches, but they are stressing to the student-athletes the importance of exceling academically and staying connected to their teammates, and to continue to find ways to support one another and to stay safe.
          The Millikin coaches believe their team is more than just the players and coaches. It is important to them to stay connected with the player's families, Big Blue softball fans and their recruits. The staff is using the team's social media accounts to stay connected and provide a little break from the stress and uncertainty we are all feeling. The program has shared fun videos and photos, player profiles and even a coloring contest on their social media accounts. On the program's Facebook page (@MillikinUniversitySoftball) coloring sheets featuring Millikin players can be downloaded, colored and then posted and shared on the team's page.
"We are also blessed with a great following online, as people seem to enjoy interacting with our social media pages," said Sowers and Tenboer. "We attest that to the athletes in our program, who they are as people, and the impact they have on others outside of the game. We love and are thankful for the support and are hopeful it will continue. We continually try to broadcast a genuine snapshot into our program -having fun and winning every moment we are given for each other."
          While keeping in contact with the current players and families is important, the Big Blue staff must continue to think about the future and add new student-athletes to the program. Recruiting during a stay-at-home order is challenging. There are no games to watch, no on-campus visits and no home visits to conduct. Sowers and Tenboer are taking the extra time they have to electronically communicate with recruits to learn more about them as people, form a personal connection and educate them on the Millikin softball program.
          "While seeing recruits play is nice to do, it's even more important for us to learn about them as people and what they are passionate about and looking for," the Big Blue co-head coaches add. "Regardless of talent we always want to make sure a player is a good fit with us and our program. When we find those kids that fit best with us, is when we really see them excel in our program. Fortunately, we are still able to learn about them and do that during this time."
          Like everyone, Sowers and Tenboer are coping with our new reality, but are still wondering what might have been with their 2020 season. Both coaches continue to work remotely and are spending time with their own families. They are working on plans for a summer camp and learning in areas they had planned to research this summer.
"Overall, we are both taking everything one day at a time," Sowers and Tenboer state. "It's been extremely hard to move on and come to the realization that the season is over, but we understand it is for the best. We try to find the positives in every situation and understand that we can only control so much. It's the same things we tell the kids on the field and now we are saying the same thing in a different scenario. Regardless of the situation we always try and make the best decisions for the team in that moment and that's what we are continuing to do."

Millikin Softball Social Media Accounts:
Facebook- @MillikinUniversitySoftball
Twitter - @MillikinSB
Instagram - @millikinsb
Download Your Favorite Player's Coloring Sheet
13         Aly Armstrong P          R/R       5-7 So.        Effingham, Ill./Effingham
2          Bailey Benton*               IF         L/R       5-2       So.        Argenta, Ill./Argenta-Oreana
7          Grace Biondo                 IF         R/R       5-3       So.        Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central
20         Gracie Brookens***       P          R/R       5-8       Sr.        Blue Mound, Ill./Meridian
32         Bailey Coffman              P          R/R       6-0       Fr.        Heyworth, Ill./Central Catholic
22         Kalli Farmer***             IF         R/R       5-7       Sr.        Columbia, Ill./Columbia
11         Kelsey Farmer***          C          R/R       5-6       Sr.        Mattoon, Ill./Mattoon
21         Kaylee Goluch IF         R/R       5-5       So.        Inverness, Ill./ William Fremd
8          Gretchen Gould 1B/3B   R/R       5-11      Fr.        Sterling, Ill./Sterling
27         Alyssa Hennessy            OF        R/R       5-6       Fr.        O'Fallon, Mo./Fort Zumwalt West
12         Maddie Holland**          OF        R/R       6-0       Jr.         Shelbyville, Ill./Shelbyville
16         Cassidy Knoerzer**        IF         R/R       5-6       Jr.         Lake St. Louis, Mo./Timberland
5          Kailey Pulec*                 OF        L/L 5-7       Jr.         Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East
10         Cassie Reed C          R/R       5-1       So.        Bethalto, Ill./Civic Memorial
6          Addison Sargent P          R/R       5-5       Fr.        Mt. Vernon, Ill./Mt. Vernon
23         Emma Spurgetis OF        R/R       5-7       Fr.        Rock Island, Ill./Rock Island
34         Skielyr Trenkle**          OF        R/R       5-7       Jr.         Le Roy, Ill./Le Roy
18         Rachel Wallis IF         R/R       5-5       Jr.         Danville, Ill./Danville
14         Hannah Watts* OF        R/R 5-6       Jr.         Mt. Zion, Ill./Mt. Zion
15         Alyssa White***            IF         R/R       5-3       Sr.        Mokena, Ill./Lincoln Way East
3          Jada Wilson                   OF        L/R       5-6 Fr.        Decatur, Ill./Warrensburg Latham

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Players Mentioned

#22 Kalli Farmer: IF; 5' 7"; Junior; R/R

#16 Cassidy Knoerzer: IF; 5' 6"; Sophomore; R/R

#15 Alyssa White: IF; 5' 3"; Junior; R/R

#21 Kaylee Goluch: IF; 5' 5"; Freshman; R/R

#8 Gretchen Gould: 1B/3B; 5' 11"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#22 Kalli Farmer
: 5' 7"; Junior; R/R
: IF

#16 Cassidy Knoerzer
: 5' 6"; Sophomore; R/R
: IF

#15 Alyssa White
: 5' 3"; Junior; R/R
: IF

#21 Kaylee Goluch
: 5' 5"; Freshman; R/R
: IF

#8 Gretchen Gould
: 5' 11"; Freshman; R/R
: 1B/3B