Slow pitch heats up with better athletes

Generally, when coaches talk about the good old days, they’re not referring to 2002.

Talk to three of the original Spokane high school slow-pitch softball coaches, though, and you get a sense that they spend some time reminiscing about what their sport was like back in the day – all of four seasons ago.

The league, which started with five teams in its first season, expanded to eight this fall with the addition of three Valley schools and likely will jump to 10 next year, if Mead and Mt. Spokane sign on.

In the beginning, slow pitch was seen merely as an opportunity for more girls to become involved in athletic programs, including many who might not otherwise try out for a team. The rationale behind its development was more about fun than competition.

That’s something that’s changing as an increasing number of fast-pitch players seek to hone their defensive skills in the fall game. And any time somebody’s keeping score, an activity becomes more than recreational.

“I feel badly for some of the kids like those in the past,” said Shadle Park coach Kim Floyd, “because they know they can’t compete against the fast-pitch kids we’re getting now, and many of them don’t turn out. It was more relaxed then, and I miss those days.”

On the other hand, Floyd says of the shift in philosophy, “I think it can be a good thing. It’s certainly made the league more competitive. We’re getting better athletes, even though many of the fast-pitch players I have this fall say they still want a different sort of experience, one without a lot of intensity and pressure to perform.”

North Central coach Chuck Filippini agrees.

“I think expansion is great in terms of competition. My girls love playing different teams. There’s no question that the focus has changed in the last couple of years.”

Unlike Floyd and Filippini, Rogers slow-pitch coach Cris Coffield also coaches the varsity fast-pitch team in the spring, but he concurs with his colleagues.

“My girls like that the league’s become more competitive, and I coach it like that. My best 10 girls are the ones in the lineup, and we still get after it. I’m not playing ‘em just to see the smiles on their faces,” Coffield said.

One slow-pitch player whom Coffield will see next spring as well is junior Jennifer Knight, in her first varsity season after transferring from West Valley after her freshman year. She was batting nearly .700 after the Pirates’ first seven games and gives Rogers an unusual look on the left side of the infield – she’s a left-handed third-baseman.

“It’s lots different for me,” she said. “I’ve played first base a lot, and I think I played third one time at West Valley. I was surprised when Coach put me there and I felt awkward at first, but that only lasted until I took a few groundballs.

“I enjoy fast pitch because of its intensity and people still take it more seriously, but slow pitch helps me to be patient at bat and is great defensive practice. Hitting slow pitch isn’t as easy as it looks. You really have to keep your eye on the ball or you’re swinging when the ball isn’t there yet.”