Small Victories

Victories, you see, have not come easily for Collegiate’s varsity softball team in recent years, and considering the Cougars’ typically demanding schedule, the outlook for the 2026 season promised to be more of the same.

 

If that weren’t enough, the two best players from a year ago, All-League of Independent Schools standouts Harper Murphy and Mary Ann Zyglocke, had graduated, so a trial by fire awaited Kelsey Watson, the Cougars’ first-year head coach and program leader.

 

Was she intimidated? Hardly. She welcomed the challenge.

 

“We knew we had a young team without much softball experience, but I saw a lot of potential and love for being out there,” she said. “I wanted the girls to gain confidence. I wanted them to have a community.”

 

Though the Cougars finished 2-16, Watson saw the improvement she’d hoped for, even if it didn’t always present in a measurable way on the scoreboard.

 

“The kids got more confident, which was evident as time went on,” she said. “We made some changes in the field. Addison Barnes, a senior captain who joined the program last year as a junior, moved from third base to shortstop and really directed the team as the communicator and manager of the field. Austyn Ennis, our pitcher (and captain), also joined the program last year as a junior. She threw strikes, and the way she pitched, we got a lot of fly balls (for outs). Our outfield got stronger and came to understand the game better over the course of the year.”

 

The Cougars prepared for the season with weekly open gyms during the fall and winter, which were vital not just for skill building but for developing a softball IQ and enhancing program camaraderie. As a result, Watson’s crew entered the pre-season with a higher level of understanding and achievement than it might have otherwise.

 

“A lot of middle schoolers showed up along with the returners,” said Watson, an All-LIS catcher at Trinity Episcopal and a pitcher on William & Mary’s club team during her playing days. “They got to know each other. We worked a lot on throwing mechanics. We set up hitting stations. It’s tough in an open gym with the range of experience and ages to get everyone in a place where they’re developing and getting something out of it.”

 

Determined, motivated, and creative, Watson and her staff made it work. The Cougars won their opener 21-20 over Grace Christian on March 17.

 

“It was cold and getting dark,” Watson said. “We were down early. Then we had a 14-run inning, so whenever we were down later in the season, we reminded ourselves that we could do it again.”

 

Later in the season, they defeated Thomas Jefferson 16-5. On April 28, they dropped an 8-5 decision to St. Gertrude, a team that prevailed 20-6 when they played two months earlier.

 

“With our record, we could say it was a tough season,” Watson said. “When I look back, I see the successes. I saw great at-bats and great plays in the field and growth over the season. We really focused on finding those little wins. I really enjoyed watching the girls celebrate each other. I enjoyed going to the outfield for our post-game talk and hearing them say, ‘We held them to zero runs in that inning’ or ‘They only scored one that inning’ or ‘We won this inning.’”

 

Catcher Finley Haas, a senior captain, was cited as All-LIS. Watson was voted Coach of the Year by her league counterparts, and the Cougars were honored with the LIS Sportsmanship Award.

 

“Kelsey successfully navigated the challenges and displayed a level of refined poise and leadership well beyond her experience,” said athletic director Andrew Stanley. “She understood where her program was and the direction it’s going. She was always forward thinking and positive thinking. That enabled the team to stay together and grow together. The girls who are leaving the program will look back in four or five years — and I told them this — and be really proud of the impact they had on the program and the teams that followed them.”