Father-Daughter Coaching Duo Swings Into Softball Season
Varsity softball squad welcomes back former coach and player to revamp the program and help new talent thrive.
By Ezekiel McClintock
Varsity softball squad welcomes back former coach and player to revamp the program and help new talent thrive.
By Ezekiel McClintock
Longtime softball coach Ernie Garcia has returned to Pioneer with the hope of rebuilding the team back to the level the program once was.
Garcia has 13 years of experience with the Pioneer softball program and over 35 years of coaching experience in total. Before coming back to Pioneer, Garcia was the head coach at Presentation High School and currently coaches for the San Jose Strikkers program outside of high school coaching.
His focus this year is to bring the team back to a level where they are as competitive as they can be since they are competing in the highest league, the Mount Hamilton Athletic League. However, he also recognizes that the team is working on rebuilding and this season is only part of a longer period in which they will get the team back to that competitive level he desires.
"I'm not looking so much to win. What I'm looking for is for them to get better and for them to have confidence in what they're able to do," said Garcia.
Varsity captain Sadie Heming, 11, is confident that the team will learn to work well together over the season and learn how to play together as a unit, rather than nine individuals on the field.
"It's still early in the season and I think we will improve over time," said Heming. "I've played for our coach in the past so I'm used to his coaching methods."
Garcia also brings his daughter, Makaylah Garcia, along with him as an assistant coach. She was also a varsity player at Pioneer from 2014-18 before venturing into coaching two years ago. Since she is familiar with several of the team members through playing with their siblings, she is able to bring her perspective as a former player when coaching.
"It's always nice to have a female as a coach, especially someone who has played softball because we understand the game a little bit more," she said.
Since Ernie Garcia is developing his coaching based on competing in league this year, he wants his players to be flexible, trying out new positions and playing styles in order to find the one that they excel the most in.
"I think our top challenge is that we have players that are actually playing out of position, and what I mean by that is we're asking them to play a position that they're capable of playing, but it's not their primary position," said Garcia.
Garcia plans to raise the team up from square one, starting from the basic fundamentals of the game, and since there are various levels of experience on the team, he wants to build their confidence to make the higher level plays that the league demands of them.
According to him, these kinds of adjustments and new experience are the best way to build that confidence that he is looking for in a Pioneer squad that is supportive of each other, holds each other accountable for their mistakes and forges many friendships throughout the season.
"I think our biggest thing is just having this be their happy place instead of somewhere they're like man, I have to go to practice," said Makaylah Garcia.
Although many of the players are new to Ernie Garcia’s coaching, they are making the necessary adjustments and most agree that the team is making steady progress toward their goals. Second year varsity player Mairead Mullin, 10, likes the coaching staff and is excited for the season to come.
"I think that the coaching this year is good and their methods do work well for me," said Mullin.
Garcia has 13 years of experience with the Pioneer softball program and over 35 years of coaching experience in total. Before coming back to Pioneer, Garcia was the head coach at Presentation High School and currently coaches for the San Jose Strikkers program outside of high school coaching.
His focus this year is to bring the team back to a level where they are as competitive as they can be since they are competing in the highest league, the Mount Hamilton Athletic League. However, he also recognizes that the team is working on rebuilding and this season is only part of a longer period in which they will get the team back to that competitive level he desires.
"I'm not looking so much to win. What I'm looking for is for them to get better and for them to have confidence in what they're able to do," said Garcia.
Varsity captain Sadie Heming, 11, is confident that the team will learn to work well together over the season and learn how to play together as a unit, rather than nine individuals on the field.
"It's still early in the season and I think we will improve over time," said Heming. "I've played for our coach in the past so I'm used to his coaching methods."
Garcia also brings his daughter, Makaylah Garcia, along with him as an assistant coach. She was also a varsity player at Pioneer from 2014-18 before venturing into coaching two years ago. Since she is familiar with several of the team members through playing with their siblings, she is able to bring her perspective as a former player when coaching.
"It's always nice to have a female as a coach, especially someone who has played softball because we understand the game a little bit more," she said.
Since Ernie Garcia is developing his coaching based on competing in league this year, he wants his players to be flexible, trying out new positions and playing styles in order to find the one that they excel the most in.
"I think our top challenge is that we have players that are actually playing out of position, and what I mean by that is we're asking them to play a position that they're capable of playing, but it's not their primary position," said Garcia.
Garcia plans to raise the team up from square one, starting from the basic fundamentals of the game, and since there are various levels of experience on the team, he wants to build their confidence to make the higher level plays that the league demands of them.
According to him, these kinds of adjustments and new experience are the best way to build that confidence that he is looking for in a Pioneer squad that is supportive of each other, holds each other accountable for their mistakes and forges many friendships throughout the season.
"I think our biggest thing is just having this be their happy place instead of somewhere they're like man, I have to go to practice," said Makaylah Garcia.
Although many of the players are new to Ernie Garcia’s coaching, they are making the necessary adjustments and most agree that the team is making steady progress toward their goals. Second year varsity player Mairead Mullin, 10, likes the coaching staff and is excited for the season to come.
"I think that the coaching this year is good and their methods do work well for me," said Mullin.