Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

Keagan.

Someone mentioned Kayla at first. She is 5'3", so that will not fly.

 

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCMENT!!
(for those whose email has changed or have an aggressive spam folder)

Softball season ticket renewals went out today. You lose your seats on November 19th if not renewed.

 

I wish someone would post that they just seen a confidential Athletic Department communication soliciting suggestions and comments on what needs to be done to get Softball recognized as the premier national program.
We’ve got the team and coaching staff. What else do we need?
I’ll start with communication/journalism. There should be something almost daily online and more direct to news media, local tv and ESPN. Still no box score or news about Friday and Sunday games. News, even fluff, draws interest which in turn brings out the fans to games and attracts more viewers. More revenue and contributions should follow.
Please add your suggestions.

 

Could this contact help? Lauren Staff - Associate Director (Softball) - Staff Directory - Florida Gators
We need a journalism voice advocate.

 

willum - I have zero idea on how to get all this started but I can promise you that I will ask CTW this question when I see him at the next football game. I agree that our "reporting" and "pub" are way below average for a team that really looks stacked and ready to compete for a NC. This is the deepest, most atlented team that I believe Ti has ever had. Just renewed my season tickets.

 

You really do move in elite circles!

From my seats at football, I get blinded by the Jumbotron, since it is located right behind my seats. I guess maybe CTW looks in my direction when he wants to see the replay -- does that count as my moving in elite circles?

 

Please do! ufgator72sb just renewed our season tickets. Looking forward to seeing you guys at the games in the spring.

 

I skimmed through the directory of the Athletic Association. Football, Basketball, Baseball, Volleyball, Swimming, Track, etc have a director of operations. Softball does not. Does Tim consider himself that director or could he need some help in that area? Just a question.

 

Ava’s freshman campaign was very similar to Lauren Haegers pitching and hitting wise. If she can take the next step like Lauren did then wow! Not a bad career to mirror!

 

Brittany Souilliard is the program coordinator and has been for 18 years. She gets things done big time.

 

Yes I know; she does a really good job. She’s answered my questions in the past. I was just looking through the Directory and seeing what the difference was in the different sports. And, since we were looking for suggestions, I just want to point out that the other sports had directors. Sometimes there is nothing in the title if a good person working the position is working hard. I was just trying to look for a way to improve our publicity and getting information out. notexgator asked for suggestions, so I made an effort.

 

I do not think Brittany would be the contact for this. She has her hands full already.
As an aside, players past and present love her.

 

I promise I will ask CTW this question at the LSU game as I am not sure our tickets are going to be next to each other at Fla/Ga game. Brittany does a great job but as Scrappy said, I really do not think it is her job. Back to game softball, it appears our new pitching coach is doing a bang up job. Not only do 3 of the pitchers now have a lights out change up but every time I said it is time for a visit from the pitching coach on Sunday - out she popped to go talk to her pitchers. I have not been this juiced up about SB in at lest 15 years!!!! Looking forward to the Friday game against UNF before our hopefully decent showing against uga in football on Sat.

 

My two cents and it probably isn't worth that. I still would love to see Taylor at first so it would open up right field for somebody else. I do not know if she can do it and I have never seen her not in the outfield but she is a tall and true lefty and she is an athlete and I think it could work. I simply do not see her ever out of the lineup even when she hits the inevitable slump that all hitters go through at some time. Remember Skylar's trouble for a full month. Ariel simply can't be taken off third at this point given her really stellar freshman year. She is also a quality catcher and can spell Jocey behind the plate. We are blessed that you can take Jocey off for a game or two to rest her and not worry about it. I really haven't seen enough of Townsen live to know for sure but it would seem she has a leg up for right if Taylor moves to the infield. That's based on Townsen's rep and "reps" are a dime a dozen so we will see. It sure seems like Tim is going with Mia hell or high water at second and her two bombs certainly don't hurt that prospect. She must start doing something more at the plate other than hitting a bomb every now and then and all could change if fielding doesn't get better. Rylee appears to have a lock on short and, given her time at Washington, that doesn't surprise me. Cassidy, Layla, Brooke, Ava, Alyssa and Gabi are going to have to fight for some time. Ava has the leg up because of her pitching and I can see her in the third arm after Keagan and Red. Kenleigh is the puzzle. She has plenty of talent and she didn't come over from Bama to sit on the bench...either in her mind or in Tim's. She could be better at second than Mia vis-a-vis defense....and possibly even hitting. Seems to me that the Kenleigh versus Mia is one of the biggest questions along with how you get Townsen on the field. Taylor is not coming out of the lineup. Kenleigh is almost a given at third when Ariel catches. There will be a lot of potential sitting on the bench for extended periods. I just don't see how you get most of the rest into the game with any frequency. That's tough for them and I do expect to see some transfers eventually. This is still quite a young team and if you can't break in now, when will it happen. Two (or three depending on Taylor in the infield) outfield spots will open up after this year. Short will also be in play. Other than that...not much else will be open.

 

The comment just made about Ava being 3rd behind keagan and red is exactly what my thoughts were but didn't want the criticism. To me Red looks like she is capable of a larger role than Ava was last year and I have been trying to figure out a percentage between the three since it looks like we actually have 3 arms. Could it be 50% Keagan 30% Red and 20% Ava or do we think that's too close a spread? I for one am not thinking our other arms will be used enough to satisfy any significant percentage of innings once the conference season starts but if I'm wrong that will be a good thing I guess.

 

Why can we not have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday pitchers like baseball?
Keagan-Friday Ava-Saturday Red-Sunday

 

Reagan will graduate, so the DP will be open.
We have another outstanding class coming, so that makes it even harder.
I hope the aforementioned players develop as bunters, PH, and base runners.

 

Go ahead and ask. I just find it hard to believe CTW isn't aware that there is zero promotion for his program. I never have directly asked him. But I have several times asked the AD why we don't upgrade our broadcasting facility so we can get on par with every other SEC program and not lose 10 games or more every February. Never a response. This effects not just softball. Nothing like that happens at any other SEC school. I'm not going to repeat what I have posted before on why we are the worst program in the league for broadcasting facilities and why softball gets the shaft. For those that care....long ago I posted a lengthy explanation with insider information on how broadcasting works and why softball gets screwed....search for it. All you have to do is simply watch something like the Google news home page news and in the past couple weeks there have been five or six (or more) posted articles about Oklahoma softball. Not a one about us. That's national. We don't even get local articles. Why, since we probably don't have the technology (or desire) to broadcast fall ball, don't we at the very least use StatBroadcast to provide us with live game action? I don't know why nothing gets done but I have a hard time believing Tim doesn't realize this. Or perhaps it isn't on his list of priorities. Or perhaps he complains and they ignore him. Whatever the reason, it has to change. Assuming we get a new AD in the near future, who will have his or her hands full with problems up the neck, we all need to pile on screaming that the broadcasting deficiencies have to be corrected. That will take placing money in the budget. Not cheap but a relatively small amount compared to what gets spent constantly elsewhere for the benefit of one program.

 

Has Liv been written off?

 

That class is 2026...not next year.