Rogers counts on shortstop Landkammer
When Rogers High School softball coach Cris Coffield gets home late from practice, he can usually blame Cari Landkammer. But he’s not complaining.
That’s because Landkammer, Coffield’s returning first-team All-Greater Spokane League shortstop, is the glue that holds this season’s promising group of Pirates together. Her work ethic and her respect for the game is evident in everything that she does.
“Cari runs out every ground ball, never pouts, never throws her gear if something goes wrong,” Coffield said. “One thing you can always count on, if she has a bad at-bat, or commits an error, she’ll make up for it somewhere down the line.”
Landkammer, the Rogers setter during volleyball season, will be a four-year letterman in softball. Coffield brought her up to the varsity late in her freshman season, and she’s been the starting shortstop since the beginning of her sophomore year.
“What makes Cari special is her drive,” Coffield said. “She’s a kid who gets there first, leaves last, and always wants to work on something after practice. She hits at 6 a.m., stays late and never complains.”
How does she balance softball, school and a part-time job?
“Softball relieves the stress from school and work for me,” she said. “When I come to practice or we have a game, I don’t have to worry about anything else. I just love playing – I wish I could play all the time.”
Landkammer remembers that when she came up as a freshman, a few seniors didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet for her, and so she now takes her leadership responsibilities seriously.
“I was really nervous when Coach brought me up, and really excited, but mostly I just wanted to play well and show everybody I belonged. Now that I’m a senior, I don’t want the younger girls to feel unwelcome.”
That attitude is reflected in her off-the-field work for the softball program, whether it’s fund-raising, arranging rides for early practices or just talking with teammates.
Said Coffield, “Her hard work and her attitude are the reasons she was voted as a captain. Those things rub off on the other players. They look at her and see a 5-foot-4 girl who’s one of the top hitters in the GSL, steals bases and makes all the plays defensively.”
“My parents taught me to do the best I can in everything,” Landkammer says. “And now that this is my last year, I want everything to be the best it can be.”