Jan. 29, 2009
NORMAL, Ill. -
Redbird All-Access members, watch Illinois State head softball coach Melinda Fischer address the media at Thursday's softball media day. Also watchCasey Gorrel, Amber Smith and Kara Nelson's media day press conference.
Illinois State head softball coach Melinda Fischer, along with senior catcher Casey Gorrell, senior pitcher/first baseman Amber Smith and junior infielder Kara Nelson, took part in the team's annual media day in the Redbird Arena Media Room Thursday afternoon. The Redbirds will open their 2009 season at 10 a.m. CST Friday, Feb. 6, against Florida Gulf Coast at the USF Louisville Slugger Tournament.
Below are select quotes from Thursday's media day press conference.
ILLINOIS STATE HEAD SOFTBALL COACH Melinda Fischer
On what being picked to finish second in The Valley Preseason Coaches' Poll meant to her team and on the expectations heading into the season ...
With our finish last year and coming into this season, I feel that's probably the best spot for us at this point. I think you always enter the season thinking you can be the number one team; that's expectations, that's challenges and that's what we strive for. Being picked No. 2 is realistic for us and it leaves us a lot of room to stay there, and presents a lot of challenges to be the No. 1 team in the end. I feel with what we have returning and Amber (Smith) gaining a year of experience in the circle as our number one pitcher, she is going to have to absorb the load and then we'll count on three young kids to really pick it up and help her out.
On whether being picked to finish second in the preseason Valley poll has taken any pressure off the team ...
I don't think it takes pressure off or puts pressure on. I feel it's how you as a coach present it to your team, and how your team absorbs it. The one thing it can do is present incentive to really strive to do well in preseason so we're ready for conference play.
On what the team needs to do this season to overcome its early-season struggles from a year ago ...
Last year, I felt we started that way intentionally because of our coaching staff. We had really young people pitching in the circle. Amber had pitched a little for us as a sophomore, but we were really inexperienced and I felt we needed to guide them in what we did preseason. Now I feel we are in a different spot. We have a year with that group under our belt and they know what's expected. The team knows what they want to do and I feel we are going to hit it hard out of the gate.
On how the senior leadership of the team is going to rub off on the seven newcomers ...
Our team is half-and-half right now. We have half underclassmen and half upperclassmen but with a common theme of getting back to Redbird softball. Our team came up with an acronym which is F.U.N. F meaning our focus and foundation, U meaning our understanding and unity and N meaning "N" vision. Our senior leadership is huge because they understand what Redbird softball is about and can instill it to the younger classmen.
On what the Amber Smith's power brings to the Illinois State lineup ...
Amber is just an amazing hitter and an amazing person. Her personality speaks volume for the type of person she is all the time. She's very laid back and very loose. With her presence she usually bats third but we've even thought about moving her up to second to get her more at bats. Teams really need to decide what they want to do with her; pitch to her, pitch around her or just walk her. That kind of presence in a lineup really triggers the entire team. She understands that a lot more is on her shoulders this year and I think she's ready to handle that.
On what it will mean to her to record her 800th-career victory as a head softball coach ...
I'm not really one to talk about it. Whenever any coach meets a milestone it's attributed to the people around you. If you surround yourself with good coaches and good players and the wins are attributed to everyone in our program since day one.
SENIOR CATCHER Casey Gorrell
On the team's expectations heading into the 2009 season ...
We were unaware of the standings coming into today, but that's good news and bad news. It's great to be ranked that highly in the MVC, but that's clearly not where we want to be and we got something to prove.
On her thoughts about the team's motto for this season "F.UN." ...
This is a team that has great chemistry, works well together but this team loves to have fun. Our team can't take anything too seriously without losing sight of what we want to get accomplished. Coach did a great job of taking a play on words as a motivating factor and we'll carry it with us throughout the season.
On whether the team as a whole has a higher level of expectation heading into this season versus the 2008 season ...
Last year, we had an up-and-down season and the season before that we lost two of our backbone pitchers. Last year we had Amber (Smith) and everyone said she didn't have the experience or the maturity level but she's got that now. Besides that, we have some great young players with a freshmen class that's ready to go. Our team has worked harder this off-season than any other season I've been a part of. Our team as a whole is ready to go and I don't remember having expectations as high going into a season than this year.
On what she wants to accomplish during her senior season ...
It's certainly a mixture of emotions. We've spent our entire lives doing this and it's our identity. No matter what we have or haven't accomplished in the last three years, we have three or four months to solidify how we want to go out. It's all or nothing right here.
SENIOR PITCHER/FIRST BASEMAN Amber Smith
On preseason Valley favorite Creighton and the competitiveness that team brings to each series ...
The games against Creighton have always been competitive. Last year, we only got to play two games and we won the first while they won the second by one run. I think it's going to be another good challenge this year and I hope we're able to come out on top against all the games we play them this year.
On her thoughts about the team's motto for this season "F.UN." ...
I think it works and is something different compared to years past. Every year, I think she tries to mix it up and I think the F.U.N. thing is a good aspect and angle for us. We've talked about it and have had meetings about it and I think it's a good thing for our team.
On the team chemistry of this year's squad ...
Our team chemistry is a lot better compared to years past. We get along on and off the field at all times. We can just text one another just to say `Hey, What's up-What are you doing?' When we were in Belize, we all stayed with different people that we've never roomed with and that was a great way to get to know one another. It also helped a lot with practices going into the season.
JUNIOR INFIELDER Kara Nelson
On whether this year's team has a higher level of expectations than in previous years ...
I think we have a really strong senior class that have the experience and have played in every game since they've been here. Behind the leadership of them and their drive to finish well in their last season, it will carry over into everyone else. When we went to Belize, all 19 of us showed up to play and everyone proved that they were capable of being in the lineup which just pushed each other to become better players.
On moving from third base to second base in 2009 ...
It's nice (moving to play second base). I kind of got use to third but I've played second all through high school. When I first came to Illinois State I was moved to third and it was a huge change so the transition back to second hasn't been to tough.
