“You’re kind of heartbroken, especially for your seniors.”
That quote from Vardaman softball head coach Josh Hegwood summed up how most coaches are feeling after the cancellation of the fast-pitch softball season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although Hegwood and the Lady Rams won the 1A State Championship last season, they are still left feeling a void after the premature cancellation of the 2020 campaign.
“To have the success we’ve had recently, we were just hoping to continue that,” Hegwood said. “You just hate to lose the opportunity and never get that opportunity back.”
One of Vardaman’s seniors, Sarah Wooten, is among the Lady Rams hanging up her cleats after this season.
“Of course, I’m sad about it and wanted another state championship, but I’m just glad I have the memories of last season,” Wooten said.
After a title run last season, Hegwood feels that his team had a chance to make another strong push in 2020 before the campaign’s cancellation.
“We felt like we had a shot at it, that we would at least be in the mix,” Hegwood said. “You never want it to be left up to somebody else. If we didn’t repeat, we’d like for it to be in our hands instead of the people in charge, but you never know when things like this are going to happen. We’ve got to take advantage of every opportunity.”
In Calhoun City, although they weren’t defending a state title, the Lady Wildcats had the unique situation of having a father as the head coach and a daughter as a senior on this year’s team. Travis and Rileigh England both wanted this season to go differently, especially since it’s the last they will spend together on the field.
“We’re both pretty upset that we didn’t get to see how the season was going to play out,” Rileigh England said. “We had high expectations for how our last season together was going to end. We never imagined that when we had our last prayer in the huddle after the Water Valley game that it would be our last time together on the field.”
For head coach Travis England, the early cancellation of the season brings about a well of emotions, some positive and some negative.
“It’s actually a range of emotions,” Travis England said. “For one, I’m frustrated that we didn’t get to play the season out and sad for the seniors. At the same time, I’m happy that some get to go on and continue to play and the rest of them are starting another chapter in their life.”
With the timetable for the return of sports still up in the air, England isn’t sure how or when he will see his team again, especially since the MHSAA cut slow-pitch softball this year.
“The thing that probably throws a kink in [summer workouts] is not having slow-pitch anymore,” Travis England said. “In years past, we’re doing drills in the summer getting ready for the fall season. Now, you don’t have that.”
Bruce had one senior on this year’s team, but she is still emotional about losing her final season as a Lady Trojan. Still, she hopes to pass along a strong work ethic to the teammates she’s leaving behind.
“Honestly, I’m upset that it’s over and that I will never play again,” Camryn Harris said, “and I also hate that I’m not a part of the Bruce Lady Trojans anymore. But all the girls hold a special place in my heart, and I hope for their next season, they work hard and play together as a team.”
All in all, the situation for coaches and seniors isn’t an easy one, whether it be in Mississippi or elsewhere in the nation.
“I’m sad for the seniors not getting to play their final season,” Travis England said. “Not just for our seniors, but the ones all across the nation. Most of them won’t get to do it again.”
