INSIDE SOFTBALL
BY ANNA POULTER-HENDRICKSON
@BadgerSoftball
SCHEDULE (27-4, 5-1)
This Week
Friday
at Minnesota
Saturday at Minnesota
Sunday at Minnesota
6 p.m.
2 p.m.
1 p.m.
Next Week
Apr. 10 Northern Iowa
3/5 p.m.
Apr.12
at #19/22 Nebraska 6 p.m.
Apr.13
at #19/22 Nebraska 1 p.m.
With rankings come
raised expectations
Now is the time for the Badgers to improve
I
n 2002, most members
of the Wisconsin softball
team were in elementary
school. Now they are members of a team that is off to
a record-breaking start and
just received national recognition for that success.
Wisconsin debuted in
the national rankings this
week for the first time since
50 ยป VARSITY
APR I L 4, 2013
2002, a feat that signifies the
strides the team has made in
three seasons under coach
Yvette Healy. While the significance of the rankings
aren't lost on Healy, it now
gives the coaching staff even
more to work for.
"Of course it is fun externally to look at people giving
us recognition and as a pro-
gram we know says a lot for all of the
people that have played as Wisconsin over the years to help build the
program into this," Healy said. "We
are happy about that, but I think internally as team it gives us more opportunity to dig in deeper and work
harder and really clean up some of
the things we need to do to improve."
For the Badgers, that means cleaning up the defense, tightening the
zone and making more pitches. All
areas the team has been highly successful in this season.
"I think it is going to give a little
more latitude to really coach hard
and get after the players and to work
with some of the individuals to make
some big strides," Healy said.
"Sometimes when you have more
success it is easier for coaches to get
after their players and raise expectations and be a little more demanding
when things are going well. We think
this is a great opportunity for us to be
a little tougher on the team and really dig in and look at what needs to
be improved."
With 23 games remaining, there
is still plenty of softball to be played
and plenty of improvements to be
made.
