New is the Word for Big Red Softball

The Glen Cove High School softball team begins fresh in 2010 with a new coach, a new conference and a slew of young players hitting the field for competition.

Valerie Amilicia takes over the reins after serving as an assistant coach last season, and will rely on junior captain Ashley Conklin and freshman ace pitcher Carina Zupa to rebuild the program. 

Last year's squad went just 3-19, and although morale was low at times, Amilicia said the girls hung in there and worked through the difficult year.

"Last year we struggled," Amilicia said. "We can see some growth already."

The team dropped from Conference I to Conference III, and Amilicia hopes the drop will give her players a morale boost and give this young team a chance to succeed.

 "I know we are rebuilding," Amilicia said. "Our goal is to get back to where we were."

To do that, Amilicia will have just two seniors, but a very young crop of players that will gain much-needed experience on the diamond.

"They all have a ton of potential," said Conklin, a first baseman who will also see time in the circle.

Along with Conklin and Zupa, junior captain Kim Marte will work in the team's three-pitcher rotation with freshman Kayla Morrissey catching behind the plate.

As one of the older players on the 13-player team – Conklin is a third-year varsity player – she knows other players will seek her out and try to learn from her experiences.

"I'll have to show them that every time I practice, I practice as hard as I can," she said.

Having a young team has its advantages, Conklin explained, because the team is more motivated and willing to put in the effort.

"They want to beat me out at my position," she said.

Zupa is one of those players who is young and driven, and someone who rose quickly as a reliable pitcher last season as an eighth grader.

"I was really nervous, I was used to being the big shot," said the right-handed pitcher. "It was a challenge for me, and it put the pressure on me."

Zupa enters 2010 with more confidence with a year of varsity softball under her belt, and will enter the circle having gained more experience playing travel softball in the off-season.

Zupa said she will rely on her drop, or sinker, to work out of tight spots, and she noted that her one year on the team gave her a chance to work with the older players, which will only help this season.

Big Red will begin its season on March 25 at home against North Shore at 4:30 p.m.

"This year will be much better than last year," Zupa said. "There's a lot of new talent. It's a fresh team, a fresh slate."

To read more of Patch's coverage of Big Red spring sports, click here. For more news about this team, go to glencove.k12.ny.us/athletics/default.asp.