Fair Grove Middle School has kicked off their spring sports season with student athletes participating in softball, baseball, and track and field. Practices started March 3rd and athletes are required to attend Monday through Friday.
The Fair Grove Middle School softball team, led by coach Kayley Frank, is focused on competing in every game as well as taking opportunities to win. With a small roster, Frank is focused on preparing the eighth graders for high school while continuing to prepare the seventh graders for future seasons.
“We have worked a lot on basic fundamentals as well as hitting techniques,” said Frank. She mentioned the return of several experienced eighth graders, including a strong pitcher and catcher, as well as key hitters at the top of the lineup.
Frank finds great reward in watching her players grow and become more confident throughout the season. She finds the most rewarding part of coaching to be watching her players gain confidence and grow throughout the season.
The next middle school softball game will be April 9th at home against Forsyth at 5pm.
The track and field team on the other hand is led by boys head coach Marc Green, girls head coach Kayla Holt, and the throwing coach Brian Neumann. For the girls team, Holt aims for each girl to not only develop in their specific events but also as part of a motivated team environment.
The team’s training includes not only specialized event training, but also speed work, interval training, tempo runs, and strength conditioning. “For speed, we work on explosive starts, acceleration, and technique. For endurance, we incorporate longer runs, paced training, and recovery techniques to help athletes build their stamina,” Holt explained.
The team features strong sprinters and long-distance runners as well as quickly developing field event competitors in discus and shot put. Holt places a strong emphasis on teamwork and sportsmanship, ensuring that athletes encourage and support each other both in and out of competition.
Both the boys and girls track teams will be participating in their first meet on April 9th at Skyline starting at 4pm.
In addition to other spring sports, coach Jacob Supansic is currently leading the Fair Grove Middle School baseball team, along with assistant coach Kelly Kirkpatrick, with clear expectations. They will work towards steady improvement throughout the season as well as playing their best baseball by the end of the season.
The team has focused on mastering basic fundamentals while introducing terminology and skills used at the high school level. “Work ethic and coachability are key,” said Supansic. “We have a large team full of kids who want to compete and learn every day.”
Communication is a major necessity both during practice and on the field. “Communication starts in practice. We talk during practice and prioritize communication on the field,” Supansic explained. The team also benefits from a positive atmosphere with players who are passionate about the game and want to compete.
The next boys baseball game will be held April 9th against Forsyth at home starting at 4:30pm.
