Softball Concocts Own Brand of Medicine
Competition still runs strong among Fisher's players
Luke Zahlmann
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – There are no islands in Colorado.
Colorado State softball coach Jen Fisher is well aware a beach isn’t commonplace in the state, either. Even so, she’s begun to worry her players may turn into Chuck Noland from Castaway, with their medicine balls converted into faces like Wilson from the 20-year-old film upon their return to campus.
The latest pandemic in the United States has taken away many things from the softball team. Outside of the 27-plus games, it’s also taken away their ability to meet up to practice, work out or even have face-to-face conversations.
One thing strength coach Adam Parsons wanted to make sure they didn’t lose was the ability to stay prepared for next year, hence the 10-pound medicine balls which were shipped to all 20 members of the team.
Fisher, conversely, is focused on making sure their sanity stays intact, as well.
Both Parsons and Fisher are now at the forefront of a season neither saw coming, with little history to draw lessons from.
“The closest comparison I have is a snow day, or a rainout,” Fisher said. “In (2016), our Senior Game got rained out. Our seniors didn’t get their day, and that was disappointing. That was just one day. This is 27 games.”
In 2016, our Senior Game got rained out. Our seniors didn’t get their day, and that was disappointing. That was just one day. This is 27 games.”Jen Fisher, Head Softball Coach
Instead of fighting the abstract situation alone, Fisher has sought out the help of fellow coaches, athletic director Joe Parker and associate athletic director for compliance Shalini Shanker. The totality of their lessons has resulted in weekly team meetings on Microsoft Teams, individual meetings amongst players and coaches on FaceTime and even weekly check-ins with academic counselors.
When the team meetings come, they go around the horn, ensuring each person has their thoughts heard.
The goal is to ensure every player is having their needs met. Coaches have led the way, as have the relationships the team built long before the biggest hurdle of many of their careers. Even when players were being forced to move out of the dorms, their teammates came and helped each on-campus student move and store their things.
“I’ve never been a part of a team that’s been so close,” junior Jordan Acosta said. “If I were to describe it to someone else, it’s almost as if you can’t be around your sisters, you can’t be around true family members. To not be able to be around them and to experience that joy and laughter, it feels like you’re being isolated from family.
“That’s the most challenging part about all of this.”
In lockstep with those family ties is a willingness to hold each other accountable. None of the players can be back in the team facility to work out together again. Instead, they came up with an idea – creating Instagram accounts, separate from their own, in order to post workout videos and update the team on their progress.
The social media accounts are mainly used to keep track of the third part of Parsons’ suggested workout regimen. Plyometrics are the first part, strength training, by whatever means necessary, is the second and the third is considered a challenge period. Once the weekly competition is over, the results hit social media.
Nothing has surprised the staff. The pandemic, sure, but not the results they’ve received from each member of the team.
The attitude of always pushing is expected and recruited. With each class having their own leader, the continuance of the trend isn’t something Fisher doubts.
“From class to class, when you have that culture of a team, it certainly spreads,” Fisher said. “We’ve actually been able to recruit the young players that find that’s important to them. It’s not that when don’t have any of the same issues that other teams have, but it’s the way we deal with them.
“They all help each other get through a lot.”
With the biggest hurdle in front of them, CSU softball is climbing together, medicine balls and all.