Off the Centenary Island: How Ladies Softball is Making an Impact Beyond Campus

Head Coach Whit and Assistant Coach Heather from our Ladies Softball team crossed the bridge over to Bossier for a Showcase tournament. A softball Showcase tournament is when young athletes get a special recruiting opportunity to show their skills in front of college coaches. For many athletes, it can be an anxious event. It is the first time high school athletes get to talk one-on-one with potential future coaches.

From the coaches' perspective, Whit states, “It allows more people to know us and watch the program we’ve tried to build.” 

In relation to the organization that held this event, Coach Whit said: “It was FASA (Fastpitch America Softball Association) but held by Louisiana Glory and hosted by Centenary Softball.”

The softball team played their Fall Ball games on the same Saturday as the Showcase tournament. However, both the coaching staff and the players attended this event. Libby Guidry, an outfielder for Centenary softball, highlighted the importance of being present at a community event.

Guidry explained, “It shows we're willing to go out of our way to see these girls play. It shows people that we do things outside the Centenary campus.” She discussed that Centenary can sometimes be its own island, and all of us need to be involved with the community surrounding us.

Guidry declared, “I think having events like this, where people see we're traveling to these camps, proves we're willing to take the next step to get to know each other. Being willing to go out of our way to see these girls play shows people that we do things outside the campus.”

When speaking about what Guidry enjoyed most about working with her teammates and coaches outside of practice and games, she stated, “I enjoyed being calm with each other. We got to sit there and laugh and make jokes with each other.”

For players already committed to a college, these tournaments make us reflect on our past recruiting process.

Guidry expressed, “It reminds me how far I've grown in college: it makes me sentimental and happy… It shows me more of what the coaches are looking for. I get to interact more with the coaches' perspective.” Current athletes get a whole new perspective in the recruiting cycle. 

As the saying goes, “the C never comes off.”

Coach Whit explained, “Centenary Softball was responsible for running the camp. Anywhere from the drills, the format, and the equipment.”

Guidry clarified that the players were in charge of “working the gate, getting admission, telling them (the prospects) what field they were on, and giving out equipment to each field.”

Whit voiced that their mission was “to talk to travel ball coaches about the recruiting process, so they can relay the information to their players.”

The recruiting process is a multi-step journey, starting with early development all the way up to signing day. Potential players are not allowed to commit to a school until Sept. 1 of their junior year. Prospects market themselves to colleges through 2–3 minute highlight reels, their tournament schedules, and academic information. These players are preparing for their next step.

Guidry stated, “We get to see how these upcoming players are in person, and how they are as a person.” 

Showcase tournaments put a face behind the name of the college. Recruiting is essential for program visibility and program impact. Coach Whit takes it a step further with the impact on the community.

Whit stated, “I want those little kids to want to go to our games and play here someday. I want people to idolize us.”

She shared a heartwarming memory about a young girl named Riley who met the entire softball team last year. Riley got a signed ball from the whole team. Whit expressed the importance of being present in the community, saying “it reflects well on the school and the program. We’ve gained the respect in our area to make more people continue to know Centenary’s name. We want to be there and be seen.” 

Overall, Coach Whit said “It went really well. We were able to make some connections with some local kids that are starting to get to the recruiting age.”

The tournament set a positive tone for the Ladies' upcoming season. Whit also explained that “we get first dibs on the best from our area.” So, stay tuned for the next exciting era of Centenary softball.