LYNN — Sometimes when things are going bad, it’s best to just start over from scratch. And while it wasn’t intentional, that’s pretty much how things have worked out for the Lynn English softball team.
The Bulldogs are undergoing a major rebuild this season under second-year head coach Cara Crowley. English has to replace a staggering 11 of 13 players from last year’s squad, many of them key contributors for the past several seasons. The list of departing seniors includes the likes of Emma Trahant, Rachel Calnan, Lindsey Lannon and Sarah Tobin, all 2017 Agganis All-Stars.
“It’s pretty much a complete rebuild from the ground up, there’s no other way to say it,” Crowley said. “Losing 11 of our 13 varsity players means we’ll have mostly JV players on the team this year and everyone will be getting their first varsity playing experience. It’s a lot to overcome, but we’ve got a lot of work to do anyway.”
That much is certainly true. The Bulldogs have had a rough go of it the past couple years, including finishing last season with a 2-18 record. But while the record isn’t something to look fondly at, the overhaul of talent means that Crowley can potentially mold a whole new team for the coming years.
“It’s good and bad for sure,” Crowley said. “Obviously you’d love to have players that have experience, but all the new talent does give us a lot of opportunity to grow together.”
The rebuilding will start with the two veterans still with the team: infielders Tommi Hill and Grace Gately. The two will hold down the corner infield spots this season, with Gately manning first base and Hill manning third base. But more than that, it’s their leadership and experience that will be crucial.
“As our two veterans, I’m sure a lot of the younger players will look to them for advice,” said Crowley. “That’s going to be a big part of both of their seasons, and I think they’ll do a great job in that role.”
As for the incoming young players, Crowley says it’s an open competition for spots. Since so many of the JV players played all over the field last season, she has basically a blank canvas.
“We have a general idea of where everyone will go, but it’s still a bit of a toss up,” Crowley said. “We have to work on all of the fundamentals from the start just to see where everyone is best suited to play.”
Crowley did mention that two players, juniors Alyssa Nop and Devida Mai, have caught her eye and have the ability to play both infield and outfield.
The Bulldogs got to work as soon as they could, albeit not on the field. The team was in the school’s gymnasium on Monday night working on throwing and running drills.
“We started going over everything, starting from the fundamentals and going through everything,” Crowley said. “We had a big mix of girls, some of whom have never played or haven’t played since Little League, so there’s plenty to work on for the next couple weeks.”
English will kick off the 2018 season on April 6 when it takes on Gloucester.
