The Gilmer High Lady Cats are set to begin their softball season.
The Cats have been on the field over the summer for practices as the program experiences a player shortage. There are currently only 14 players on the roster, which means there will be no junior varsity team, while depth for varsity games appears to be razor thin.
“We’ll carry 11 on varsity, and I think I may have three others, maybe four others. We may have up to 15,” head coach Eric Tedders said. “We’re still waiting on one medical clearance, and we had one move away.
“We won’t be able to get injured, and we can’t get sick or get in trouble at school. Right now, we’re counting on having 10 Saturday for our first game. We have more we’ll dress for home games, but they won’t get in because they could get hurt out there.”
Summers are typically busy for high school athletes, and that was true for the softball team as well. With attendance being voluntary, participation fluctuated.
“We have several who are playing basketball and several who are injured and recovering,” Tedders said. “Some are on vacations and all of that stuff. Summers are a mess. We’ve had a day where we had one player and others where we’ve had 10. It all really depended on the week.”
Weather also dampened the Cats’ summer plans. Consistent rain and soggy field conditions meant much of their practice time was spent indoors hitting. When there was a break in the clouds, GHS started practices with defensive work and drills to sharpen specific skills before heading to the batting cage.
“It’s kind of been just scraping things together. ‘Sporadic’ is the best it’s been weather-wise and player-wise; it’s just been tough,” Tedders said.
“Overall this year, I think we have a better defensive group. We don’t have numbers to replace injuries, but we have better possibilities as far as moving people around. We can’t sustain injuries or sickness and things like that because we just don’t have the depth.”
Tedders noted that southpaw hurler Zoey Woody moved out of state, which leaves a gap in the pitching staff. Senior Macy Hamby saw time on the mound last season, but she is also the team’s regular and top-fielding shortstop. He praised the summer efforts of freshmen Lily Fortune and Phoenix Addie, as well as sophomores Gracie Smith and Sierra Williams.
“We have potential to be at least really solid with the chance to be decently good,” Tedders said. “Both of those freshmen pitch, which will help, but it doesn’t replace Zoey. If we have to pitch Macy, there’s no replacing her in the field although we’re better equipped to do that this year.”
GHS will start its season Saturday at 9 a.m. They will take the field for games versus Coahulla Creek and Armuchee, which marks the beginning of the Cats’ nine-game nonregion schedule.