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Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

Discussion in 'GatorGrowl's Diamond Gators' started by ocalaman, Feb 20, 2022.

  1. rickjs1

    rickjs1 Premium Member

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    While I am not remotely qualified to really offer an opinion, in quickly skimming through UNC pitching records going back to 2019 it seems usually she had one decent pitcher and a remaining staff that was mediocre or struggled. 2022 was bad. 2023 was an improved staff. UNC hasn't been a good program for some time so that may have made it tougher on the pitching staff. Impossible for me to really judge but I don't see anything that screams this is a fantastic choice and we're going to have to trust Walton's judgement. Wonder if this was his first choice. Somebody better at evaluating this than me should jump in.
     
  2. rickjs1

    rickjs1 Premium Member

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    I would give my right arm to know what Laura Rothrock thinks of this and if she was consulted during the process. And she is pretty active on social media so if there's no comment, silence could say a lot.
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2023
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  3. johnny_cakes

    johnny_cakes GC Hall of Fame

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    Yeah, I'd like to know also, especially those posters that have connections to the team and their family.
     
  4. ocalaman

    ocalaman GC Hall of Fame

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    Hope that now we have a pitching coach in place we can grab a couple of SEC-caliber pitchers from the portal before they're all gone.
     
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  5. rickjs1

    rickjs1 Premium Member

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    If true that Vawter is visiting FSU, it will be interesting to see if they convinced her to visit UF also and if the hire makes a difference.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  6. theemaxpower

    theemaxpower Junior

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    Yeah I don't get her FSU visit if she wants to be an engineer. Someone said that's what she's studying. That's like going to MIT to be a hair dresser. Interesting, hmmm
     
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  7. sweetpotato2

    sweetpotato2 GC Legend

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    I'm going to give this a "wait and see" approach. seems like the majority of comments I read from different sites are kind of underwhelmed by this hire. She has 2 aces to mentor coming in next season and 1 the following season. so she really has a great starting point. I wish Lexi was still on staff, so we can see how she develops a pitcher who has potential to be great to be an all American, but didn't perform well under bosch.
     
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  8. rickjs1

    rickjs1 Premium Member

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    Regarding Vawter....if what was said here is true....her wanting to be an engineer.....I mentioned that to a friend of mine who is retired now but was an engineer. He graduated from UF. Confirmed what I have known for a long time....UF's department is top 5 and has been for a long time. He says FSU's department is little more than an add on. Says in his entire career he met one engineer from FSU and he had to basically teach him everything. Whether any of this means anything.....
     
  9. ocalaman

    ocalaman GC Hall of Fame

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    Gator fans are great! For weeks we've been complaining that we don't have a pitching coach and need one ASAP. Now on the day the pitching coach is announced, there's angst that she might not have been his first choice, that she wasn't the big time hire we wanted and that maybe parents aren't on board. I understand that we all want the very best for the softball program, but I choose to trust Tim with confidence that with this hire we can pick up a couple of badly needed pitchers from the portal. Goooo Gators!!!
     
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  10. ocalaman

    ocalaman GC Hall of Fame

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    I'll be very surprised if she doesn't end up at Oklahoma. They, also, have a U.S. News & World Report ranked Engineering School Grad Program.
     
  11. GatorGrowl

    GatorGrowl Forum Admin Moderator VIP Member

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    GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Softball Head Coach Tim Walton named Chelsey Dobbins as the Florida program's newest assistant coach Saturday. Dobbins' primary responsibility will be the development of UF's pitching staff.

    "I am excited to announce the addition of pitching coach Chelsey Dobbins to our Florida Gator softball coaching staff," Walton said. "When I began the search process, it was very clear to me who I wanted to lead our pitching staff, design game plans and execute pitch calling for our program. Chelsey's passion, work ethic, and experience mentoring young pitchers has her ready to accept the challenge of leading our pitching staff back to the Women's College World Series."

    Dobbins joins the Gators after serving on the staff at North Carolina for the past eight seasons. Since being hired as an assistant coach in September of 2015, she has served as the pitching coach. Dobbins was promoted to Associate Head Coach at UNC in 2018.

    "I am humbled by the opportunity to join such a prestigious university and athletic department," Dobbins said. "I am excited about being a part of Gator Nation and the culture of excellence Scott Stricklin has built here at the University of Florida. I would like to thank Coach Walton for the invitation to be a part of his staff and trusting me to lead the pitching staff to new heights. I am thrilled to start on this path to getting Gator Softball to another national championship! Go Gators!"

    While at North Carolina, Dobbins guided Tar Heels' pitchers to multiple NFCA and Atlantic Coast Conference honors in addition to helping UNC break the single-season stolen base record four times from 2016 to 2019. In 2016, she transformed Kendra Lynch into an All-ACC First Team selection that included three ACC Pitcher of the Week honors and four single-season records.

    In 2017, Dobbins mentored freshman Brittany Pickett who excelled both in the circle and at the plate. Pickett finished the year ranked inside the top 10 in 17 different ACC statistical categories on the way to being named ACC Freshman of the Year and a NFCA National Freshman of the Year Top 10 Finalist. During Pickett's sophomore season in 2018 she garnered All-ACC First Team honors and finished the year ranked second nationally in wins, eighth in shutouts and 29th in strikeouts.

    During the 2019 season, Dobbins mentored Pickett to her third All-ACC first team honor and her second NFCA All-Southeast Region second-team selection, and freshman Hannah George to ACC All-Freshmen Team honors. She also guided UNC pitchers to 15 shutouts – the most since 2012.

    Prior to her time with North Carolina, Dobbins spent the 2014 and 2015 seasons as the pitching coach at Cal Poly. Under her guidance, the Mustangs' pitching staff finished the 2014 season ranked 27th nationally and at the top of the Big West Conference with a 2.13 ERA. The staff was led by ace Sierra Hyland who garnered Big West Pitcher of the Year honors after she posted a 1.48 ERA with 263 strikeouts and 26 victories.

    Dobbins began her coaching career as a graduate assistant at ULM in 2010 before she served as an assistant coach at Marshall from 2011-13. During the 2013 season, the Thundering Herd's pitching staff ranked 34th in the nation in ERA with a 2.25 mark which helped the program to its first Conference USA Championship and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

    In her final two seasons with Marshall, the Herd pitching staff finished among the top-three in Conference USA programs in ERA, strikeouts and opposing batting average.

    Dobbins is a native of San Jose, Calif. and started her collegiate playing career in 2004 at Illinois-Chicago where she was named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team after she helped lead the Flames to their eighth NCAA Tournament appearance.

    She later transferred to West Valley College in Saratoga, Calif. and was tabbed NorCal Pitcher of the Year with 22 wins and a 0.54 ERA. Dobbins concluded her playing career at Oklahoma State and pitched for the Cowgirls in 2006 and 2007 before she graduated with her degree in Elementary Education.

    Walton Selects Chelsey Dobbins to Lead Pitching Staff - Florida Gators
    [​IMG]
     
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  12. GatorGrowl

    GatorGrowl Forum Admin Moderator VIP Member

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    [​IMG]
     
  13. sweetpotato2

    sweetpotato2 GC Legend

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    The parents aren't on board? Like the parents of the current/ future softball players?
    100% too. I guess some people are spoiled with Jen ( who wouldn't be) that other hires seems underwhelming
     
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  14. ocalaman

    ocalaman GC Hall of Fame

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    Have no idea about the parents. Just a couple of posts I read are wondering. This board is for expressing opinions, feelings, questions, etc. It's all good, I just find it all interesting how we all react differently.
     
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  15. sweetpotato2

    sweetpotato2 GC Legend

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    Ok. I misread what you wrote. I thought you read some comments ( in other places) that the parents on the team weren't too happy about this hire.
     
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  16. theemaxpower

    theemaxpower Junior

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    Yeah, I'm willing to give her a chance. She has an amazing opportunity here with two fantastic freshmen. From what I've read, she's about development and consistency. Two things Bosch knew nothing about. So, I'm going to go into this thing with positive thoughts and expectations. BUT, let's get her another couple arms.
     
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  17. alysb21

    alysb21 GC Legend

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    I think this is definitely going to be an upgrade in pitching coach. Excited to see how it goes.
     
  18. rickjs1

    rickjs1 Premium Member

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    Hiring me would be an upgrade.
     
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  19. rickjs1

    rickjs1 Premium Member

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    Just for the heck of it....I asked him what he did in engineering. He worked on the Voyager rocket systems and many other NASA projects. Worked on engineering for various fighter aircraft. Then went on to helping to build nuclear power plants. Sheesh. I once built a matchstick house. It immediately fell down.
     
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  20. scrappygator

    scrappygator VIP Member

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    Do you remember Kristen Brown who was a grad assistant for 2 years for us? She played at UNC before coming here. She is really enthusiastic about this hire.
     
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