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	The Ypsilanti Courier A Heritage Newspaper Weekly Publication

Team puts last season behind them

By Bruce Mason, Staff Writer

PUBLISHED: March 29, 2007

Head softball coach Ryan Minarik said his team is looking good and are ready for Wednesday's start of the 2007 season.

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He said the girls are much further ahead than last year's team, during this early stage of the season.

Last March, the team's fundamentals of throwing and catching were bad, hitting was horrible and techniques had to be taught, Minarik said.

It all added up to a one-win season; the worst for Minarik, who has been coaching varsity since 1998 and took home a district title in 2001.

"It was really, really tough," Minarik said. "There was a lot of stuff to do."

Last season, and for the past several years, Minarik didn't have the luxury of a pitcher on his roster who could throw strikes, mix things up and keep opposing hitters off balance. As a result, most schools teed off on the Lady Braves' pitching staff.

But now, Minarik is relying on three pitchers to change things around: Sarah Klitenberg, Anna Inoue and Ashley Fulks.

Minarik knows Inoue will throw strikes. And Fulks has been working on her mechanics, resulting in a quicker underhand hurl across the plate these days.

"She might be the key," Minarik said. "She's zipping the ball."

Minarik is confident his team will be very good but he has similar sentiments for a majority of teams in the talent-laden Mega White.

Garden City is fundamentally sound and really aggressive on the base paths, he said while Taylor Truman also is very good. Dearborn is solid and Wyandotte always gives Ypsilanti a tussle.

Then there is Lincoln Park, which won the conference last year with two freshman pitchers, who Minarik said are outstanding.

Is Lincoln Park the team Minarik will be gunning for this season?

"We'll just go game by game," Minarik said.

"We'll compete and see what happens. First of all, we'll try not to beat ourselves, that's the thing. Don't worry about the other team."

The Purple and Gold will face off against Wyandotte for its first game.

Minarik said he's looking forward to getting started.

"Especially after today and yesterday's practice," Minarik said last Friday, "I'm really, really excited."

Bruce Mason is a freelance sports writer for The Courier and View. He can be reached at bruce_mason19@hotmail.com.