As her second year with Anderson Softball opens, I had the opportunity to sit down with Head Softball Coach Unike Rodriguez to learn about her softball history and how she sees this 6A season playing out.
Coach Rodriguez has been playing softball for most of her life. Since age seven, she has been on the field, getting reps in to improve her skills. She is a well-rounded player, having filled almost every position, with the exception of catcher. This personal experience with a variety of positions allows her to give specialized advice to players. Coach Rodriguez competed at the varsity level all four years of high school before playing college ball for Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas.
Prior to coming to Anderson, Rodriguez was the head volleyball coach at Pearsall High School as well as assistant softball coach. She remained there for 5 years before coming to Anderson, where she is now in her 2nd season. Coach Rodriguez coached freshman volleyball at Anderson during her first year in addition to being head softball coach; however, she decided to stick to just head softball coach this season, which is no small responsibility.
As with every sport, moving up a district to 6A is a major difference from last season, where teams must compete at a higher level to be successful against their opponents. Coach Rodriguez explained that while the level of play is drastically different, “it challenges the team and pushes them to do better.” Last season, the Lady Trojans had many blowout wins where they beat their competition by as many as 25 runs. The 6A teams they are facing will test this team far more than last season’s opponents, but they provide much more opportunity for growth.
One thing that sets the Lady Trojans apart from other teams is Coach Rodriguez’s emphasis on fitness and strength. “It just really adds to softball. You gotta be able to hit a ball hard, throw hard, run fast, all those things, so it’s crucial as far as being in the game of softball,” she says. Having strength puts power behind the ball, which Coach also explains is critical for the Lady Trojans. The team has had more opportunities to get into weight room during preseason, and Coach expresses how she is already seeing gains and improvements in her team’s performance on the field.
This season will put the Lady Trojans to the test, but Coach Rodriguez is confident that her team can overcome any obstacle that comes at them. This resilience should make for a very exciting season for the teams.
