A group of Clarke Central High School softball players converse with CCHS’ new head varsity softball coach Alex Holmes in a varsity softball game against South Gwinnett High School at CCHS on Aug. 15. CCHS junior Abby Allen believes the season has been going well due to Holmes’ implementations. “(The season with Holmes is) really good. He’s brought on a lot of new assistant coaches, too. That helped a lot. We hadn’t had that in previous years,” Allen said. “He’s teaching us in a way that has made us better as a team and we wouldn’t right now be seven (wins) and four (losses) without him.” Photo by Luna Reichert
As the Clarke Central High School softball team dives deeper into the season, they work to meet new head varsity softball coach Alex Holmes’ goals and expectations for the year.
Clarke Central High School head varsity softball coach Alex Holmes has stepped up to lead the team for the first time for the 2019 fall season.
“I think this team has the potential to be the best team in school history. I don’t know what the school record for wins is, I don’t know for sure if they’ve ever won double-digit games,” Holmes said. “So that’s kind of my personal goal right now for these girls is to win 10 games, and then go to state and maybe try to find a way to win. But I think it’s very, very realistic.”
According to Holmes, as the number of games and practices have increased, he has begun to enforce ideals and expectations that are somewhat new to the players.
“Some of the girls have told me (our program is) a lot more organized (and) that there’s not a lot of downtime at practice. Let’s maximize practice time, let’s not sit around a lot, let’s not joke around a lot, let’s get down to business so that we’re better in the game. That’s the big thing,” Holmes said.
CCHS junior Abby Allen, a three-year varsity softball player, believes Holmes has positively impacted the program in a way none of her previous coaches have before.
“The way (Holmes) pushes us to be better players (helps the team). In the past, we haven’t had a coach that actually coaches us. We’ve just had a coach that’s just kind of there and kind of builds off of people’s talent that we already had,” Allen said. “He actually coaches and teaches other players who are farther behind. He makes us all better.”
While Holmes is new to the position, he anticipates the development of strong relationships, both on and off the softball field.
“So far, I think it’s been an adjustment for the girls (because) I have high expectations, and I’m strict about your attitude and how you react to negative things, and so I think that’s been an adjustment for them,” Holmes said. “But I think they know how much I care about them. They’re learning how much I care about them as people.”
