Jan. 12, 2010
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - A day after reporting to campus following winter break, the UCF softball team kicked off the 2010 season with its first practice of the year at the UCF Softball Complex Tuesday.
"The team worked really hard on their first day of spring practice," head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said. "I saw a lot of enthusiasm and energy from them, and we are just ready to get the season off and running."
Conditioning was the main focus of the season-opening practice, as the Knights opened the session with a brisk 1.5 mile run in the chilly conditions outside.
"Everyone was really excited to be out on the field again today," senior Mary Helen Tyler said. "The momentum we established today helped us hit the ground running into the season."
Following their return to the UCF Softball Complex, the squad worked on infield and outfield drills, before switching gears to sharpen its baserunning skills. Each player was timed on their speed from home plate to first base and from home plate to second base, and then followed that drill up with situation baserunning.
"I was really encouraged by practice today. I thought it was great," assistant coach Nicole Trimboli said. "Their energy was awesome. To go from practicing for one hour a day (during the fall) to four hours, between lifting, practice and everything else, they were ready to go every minute of it."
Finally, practice came to a close with offensive drills, a fun game to wind down and a team huddle.
"I think today was a great start for the players," assistant coach Stephanie Best said. "They set the bar for the rest of the year. They all gave 100 percent and I could tell they were excited to be out here and excited to work hard toward winning the C-USA Championship. I was really proud."
Season tickets for the 2010 season are only $40 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchase online at UCFAthletics.com or through the Athletics Ticket Office by calling (407) 823-1000.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to www.UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit www.UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
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