FROM BRISTOL WITH GLOVE: This Little League Softball All-Star Team Is Winning The Right Way

The Bristol Little League Softball 12-year-old All-Stars have been successful at each and every level they've played since coming together a few years ago.

Last year, as 11-year-olds, the team not only won the Connecticut State Championship, but they also went onto the win the Northeast Regional tournament, as well.

This season, playing their final season together as Little Leaguers, Bristol won the District 5 championship and the Section 1 championship, leaving them as one of four teams playing in the Connecticut State Tournament's final four starting Monday in Waterford.

The best part? It's about a lot more than just softball for this group.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:09

Hi everyone, we welcome you to the Inside Corner as we get into the hot, sticky months of July and August, and away we go with John Nash. I'm Rob Adams, and John's softball can be year-round, and we're not going to stop just because high school and college season's over.

SPEAKER_01 0:26

No, 100%. It is Little League season, and the uh Connecticut State Little League Tournament has been going on for a couple weeks now. And today we have our guests who are the District 5 Little League champs out of Bristol. Uh last week they won the Section 1 tournament and they are headed for the state tournament Final Four this weekend. So we are joined by their manager, Adam Whitlock, uh his daughter McKinley Whitlock, and two other players, Mary Thompson and Ellie Tisha. So thank you, uh Bristol, for joining us.

SPEAKER_00 0:59

Thank you for having us.

SPEAKER_01 1:02

And Adam, you and I have gotten to know uh each other pretty well, I'd say, over the over the past two weeks. And uh uh, you know, I know we we had a little bit of contact last year when this group as 11-year-olds uh won the Northeast Regional, correct? So coming into this district uh yeah, coming into this year's 12-year-old tournament, I don't know if that puts pressure on these girls or or what it does because you've had so much success so much success at 10 and 11. But how did you feel coming in, you know, finally 12-year-old? This is this is the you know, this is the big time, this is little league varsity, if you will. Uh, you guys get to go to a World Series if you keep winning and all that. And what was your take coming in into this summer season with the group that you had?

SPEAKER_00 1:45

Well, I I think we're we're fairly confident that we had a great group of girls returning, and uh, you know, their prior experience was something to build off of. But I think all the girls recognize that, you know, they're they're pretty awesome 11-year-olds, but you know, they have to work extra hard to become pretty awesome 12-year-olds. And and I think they recognize that all of their competition kind of takes the same approach that you know everyone's a year older, uh uh more experienced and and stronger. So um so while we were confident and pretty excited, I I don't think we we want to look past anybody. And fortunately, I think the girls have been up for the challenge so far.

SPEAKER_01 2:23

And and that's the thing, somewhere out there in the world of sports, and I don't remember the sport, I don't remember who the person was that said it, but it's something to the extent extent, and I'm just paraphrasing here, that it's the work you do when nobody watches that makes you kind of shine brightest when every when all eyes are on you. And like you said, for the last year, you know, the little league season ends by the time August rolls around, usually. So, you know, it's what you guys do over those next nine to ten months. You know, Fairfield's put in the work, East Lime Salem's put in the work, Madison Clinton's put in the work, and certainly you guys have. So in Little League, is that kind of your are you almost going into every tournament a little bit blind because you don't know how how much improved the other programs are?

SPEAKER_00 3:07

Yeah, you know, I think you go in blind based on, you know, face-to-face experience, but certainly technology gives you a little bit of a a cue as to uh, you know, um in the social part of the sport. You get to learn a little bit about each team. Um, you know, big shout out to Game Changer for giving us a little bit of something to nibble on and and be familiar with. Um yeah, I think you called it correctly, you know, it's um it's the time outside of the tournaments that the kids put in their effort. And and I think some of that is, you know, they're really good basketball players, right? They're really good soccer players, so you know, they're really good musicians and and you know, into the arts. And I think some of the the pressure is off when you get to return to a sport that you just naturally enjoy and and have put in the work in the winter, right? These our our Bristol Girls League softball program. We put in uh winter clinics, that's basically nine weeks of of winter training, some with the the college graduates that come back, uh, some with the volunteer coaches. Uh we have a fall season that keeps the kids engaged, but you know, understanding they have to balance academics with that. Um but the kids get a lot of reps in between those tournament seasons, and that's stuff they get to build from, and there's situations they've seen before, and I think they just get to stay loose because while it's really important to everybody, I think they're just doing something that naturally comes to them because they put in that effort earlier. So it doesn't feel as stressful. There's just a a calm kind of, oh, we're down by a run, let's go score a run, or hey, we're up by a run, let's let's squeeze this third strike, or or whatever the situation may be. It doesn't come with the uh the nerves that sometimes accompany intensity.

SPEAKER_01 4:56

And and certainly uh uh you know, we we gave the shout out to Game Changer earlier, but certainly a game changer for coaches like yourself and and and you know Frank at Fairfield and everybody else that that has uh gotten their little league teams this far. And even last year, when Guilford, you know, did make it to the uh Little League World Series, uh, is the travel game. You know, these girls get to play year-round, some competitive softball, and obviously you guys up in Bristol have the Bristol Gators, and and I know you've got the Titans in town that, you know, part of the Terryville Bristol area. So there's a lot of really, really good travel programs up in that area. How has that changed the game for you guys, do you think?

SPEAKER_00 5:34

I think it's just added another season, and you know, you get to see a little bit more speed. Um, I think it's given the girls a lot of opportunities to be able to play other positions, uh, where maybe if you're if you're behold into a 16-game season exclusively, then maybe you're a little bit more locked into one thing. But when you get to play in excess of you know a hundred games between middle school and little league, and or maybe the junior league, uh, which some of the girls participated in this year, and then certainly the Gator season has been um been great. We've got to see a lot of out-of-state uh competition. Um, you know, we had the girls had made friends in Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, New York, and Connecticut, Massachusetts. So they've seen a lot of the same kids that are now playing in the tournaments now. Um you know, even to the point I went to college with one of the parents from the Guilford team last year, and uh they were nice enough to pull us aside uh at one of the ballparks and say, Man, you guys are doing great. You guys are gonna have a lot of fun. We really enjoyed our little league experience, and they were just very encouraging to the girls. Um, but but I'd also say, you know, something outside of softball is the girls' ability to turn off the competition and just be good citizens, um, to be good to their other other teams, you know, win or loss. Um, I think that that mojo that comes that comes full circle where they get a lot of support from the same people that they were encouraging, you know, just a game or a season earlier. So I think that comes back into positivity, and then again, they don't really they don't really get that same uh set of nerves or or concerns when the situations are like uh complicated on the ball field.

SPEAKER_01 7:17

W with no softball yesterday really being played anywhere, you know, coming into the Fourth of July holiday on all that, I I had this light bulb moment where I was thinking about last year's Guilford team, but I was like, I wonder what type of advice those players would give the four remaining teams, you know, again, Bristol, East Lime, Salem, uh, Fairfield, Madison, Clinton, what advice would those girls give these girls uh on their road to you know however far the journey takes you? And I'm not sure if you saw that story yet, Adam, but I reached out to to Andrea Klein last year's manager and said, you know, hey, what you know, what advice would the girls give? And and God bless her, she reached out to every single kid, and we got to post a story yesterday on you know, kind of the Guilford team giving you guys advice, and every single one of them was pretty much like, enjoy it, you know, and and uh and so the question for you do I have girls? And let me start with you, Ellie, since you're number nine, you're you're kind of uh I'm going in reverse direction of your uniform numbers here, or maybe it's not uniform numbers, it's uh batting order of this lineup that I have. But but Ellie, how much are you guys enjoying this this summer ride? And and coming off last year where you won the Northeast, you know, regional, now is 12-year-olds. Hopefully you want to get to the Little League World Series. But what's it like for you guys as players? Just are you out there having fun game after game?

SPEAKER_04 8:37

Yeah, we always have fun after the games and just like in general.

SPEAKER_01 8:44

And and what's it been like? Yeah, what's it been like for you just in terms of you know, one of the things I enjoy listening to you guys in the dugout. I mean, you guys are cheering and chanting and you know, always supporting each other. Uh so it does really truly seem like a true true team dynamic that you guys have built there.

SPEAKER_04 8:59

Yeah, I just I feel like it helps us like when we're playing, because we all know each other so well. And it just helps us like focus and all that.

SPEAKER_01 9:10

Oh, I can t I totally understand that. And and Mary, question for you would be you know, coming off that Northeast regional last year, you guys are hoping for great things, you know. You're only 12 years old, but do you feel any pressure, or is it just fun to go out there and play with your friends?

SPEAKER_03 9:26

I feel like there's definitely some pressure, but we all have done this before, which helps. And I think we've all been waiting since the moment the championship game ended last year to try again this year.

SPEAKER_01 9:40

And McKinley, you know, you get to play for your dad, number one. That that that's either really fun or or you know, a nightmare for you. It could go either way, I guess. But your dad seems like a nice enough guy. Um, but how close is this team? You know, your dad and I talked uh when I was up there a few uh a few days ago when you guys played Fairfield the first time, and he talked about how you guys do support each other outside of just softball as well. And where did that whole team dynamic come from? What is it that's drawn you guys all so close over the past couple of summers?

SPEAKER_05 10:12

Uh we all are we all play a ton for a lot of different teams, whether it's little league or or like school, but we I don't know, we just click together.

SPEAKER_01 10:29

And and is that something that's been key for you, Adam? Is that you guys are that tight? I think the conversation you and I had had, at least I hope it was you and I. I've been talking to so many little league coaches over the past week, but I think it was somebody who had an art show uh you had mentioned, and like most of the team showed up to the art show.

SPEAKER_00 10:45

Yeah. Um that was your conversation, right? We have some pretty pretty awesome performers uh between the school plays. We have some musicians. Uh it's been cool to see you know the majority of the team uh recognize how how um important that is to each individual and to be able to show their support. Um I think it extends to their younger or older siblings. Um, we've all taken a very large interest in Dakota Green's older brother, DJ, uh, who was uh the Connecticut amongst the Connecticut representatives in the Special Olympics uh and was uh a golden ticket recipient uh and a uh track and field um representative for Connecticut uh in Minnesota um in June. Uh and all of the families, you know, were were dialed into the same text threads. They were all watching uh, you know, on ESPN or on Game Changer and you know shouting their support for him. Uh I think there's uh some younger siblings. Ellie's got a younger brother uh who we all adore. And when he he has his games uh for baseball or hockey, you know, we're all interested to hear how he did. And it's I think it's just a genuine camaraderie. Um and and I will go back to as far as maybe even T ball, uh, and there's a philosophy. Um listen, at a T-ball, coach pitch, minors, majors, you know, on up through little league. Um, you know, to some degree you can kind of select your team. And um to some degree, it's not it's not perfect by any means. Um, but one of the philosophies I hold, and and I think it's it's shown as these kids have matured over the last seven, eight years from their T-ball experiences. I only surround myself with good people. So that means the children could be wildly athletic. Um that's not that's not the first thing you look for, right? You look for how they treat one another because that's gonna impact their experience. You can teach softball. Nobody's born with a softball in their hand and a bat hitting, you know, 800 for the series. But if you work at it, you can get there. But you got to start by being being the person the other person wants to stand beside. And it includes like when someone's having a hard time, it's not easy being a 12 or 13-year-old girl. You should be emotional, but if you're surrounding yourself with the right people, it will be easier to get over some of those hurdles. And I love seeing the emotion from the team, and I also really enjoy how they pick one another up so that way that emotion isn't overwhelming. And it's all this stuff outside of softball that that binds this team and makes playing softball just a game.

SPEAKER_01 13:33

Where has that come from? Is that something you've kind of embedded in them? Or you know, did they have a coach you know when they were playing T-ball? That how did that all come apart? You know, is it just good parenting? Uh, which Lord knows this world needs more of that in these days.

SPEAKER_00 13:47

But how is this how how has this group become so close? Uh definitely good parenting. You can you can look at everybody on this team and say that they've got the right role models in front of them in their household. So there's zero doubt about that. That's where it starts. Um, you know, the girls played on different T-ball teams and some of them on the same T-ball teams. Uh, I think we've got a great group of coaches, really respectable folks. Some are teachers, some are electricians, you know, some have jobs that I'm not aware of, but allow them just enough flexibility to prioritize their child's experience. And and they've done a great job of able to combine um, you know, their approach, their philosophy, and their understanding of the sport with one another. I think we've just got a wonderful softball community in Bristol, but I think it really starts with we've got a wonderful community in Bristol. And softball just happens to be, you know, the outlet that we're connecting over today.

SPEAKER_01 14:43

And one of the things I love about this team, and again, I witnessed it, you know, firsthand. Uh, you know, when I saw you guys play Fairfield the first time, and and Adam, you and I, when we talked about getting you on the podcast, we talked about your championship game win where you use three different pitchers, uh, only one of whom had pitched in the previous game, and how no kid gets upset when you go out to the circle and pull a kid. You know, uh, I remember Ava got, you know, pulled uh midway through that first Fairfield game, and you had Avery Collins come in, and it was a high five, go get him, that type of thing. You know, just positive attitudes all the way around, you know, when you do sub-players in and out and and so on and so forth. Uh, and again, that that's a part of being successful, right? Is not getting down on yourself or your teammates and holding each other accountable and and that type of thing. And again, same thing. Good parenting, they're taught, you know, when they get in the car on the ride home, that's being discussed rather than being, you know, oh, why did Coach Whitlock pull you out? I mean, you know, uh it's well, you know, they always say the car ride home can be the toughest for for kids sometimes, but where does that come from? Again, just just supporting each other, and you guys must be preaching it.

SPEAKER_00 15:56

Um great question. You know, it's it's funny you mentioned the car ride home. I think um I think I recognize as a parent of of two older children, you know, before we had McKinley, that um that maybe the emphasis on the car ride home was the wrong approach where we'd kind of discuss and debate and what we could have done and we couldn't. And and I realized that, you know, I wasn't I probably was, you know, first-time parent, first-time coach type stuff, uh, that I realized that that had more of a negative impact than a positive one. So I've actually adopted the approach of when the game's over, you know, we're not talking sports, man. It's time to go get some ice cream, time to go cat with the family. When more often than not, it's actually the girls wanting to get together and go swimming together or do something else together. But I actually think, you know, turning off the game is is healthy. Uh because otherwise sometimes you can kind of dwell on some things and focus in on stuff that uh at a at an hour when maybe you know the recipient of that that end of the conversation's exhausted. And, you know, is it really the healthiest thing to do? I I had never yelled or raised my voice at my kids, you know, regarding sports, but I I do think we debated the merits of certain plays or games. Uh, and I I I found that to be more detrimental than valuable. Um, and then I think when you do things in a team environment and you discuss things openly, like you mentioned, you know, um, it wasn't just talk, right? We we had four pitchers, probably five or six that all pitched in middle school, but you know, four pitchers that are really going to commit to pitching in this tournament. And they all respect one another. They're all the other person's toughest out. Like the toughest pitchers these girls face are often their teammates. So there's a great respect for one another. And if someone walks a batter and they know that they can go back and make a meaningful play at another position and the other pitcher can come in, then um then I think that's not just talk. That's really like that's in practice. So you can have great ones like like the names you mentioned. Uh, we may have you know ones that you didn't enter the games previously, but they're they're just as talented. You just want to find the right moments for them to shine. So uh cool to see that that's that's really a team dynamic that's developed over time. I don't think you can get there in a day or just say it or phrase it in a certain way and and the kids will respond. I think they actually have to like believe that one another will pick each other up. And that's the part that's that I think has been cultivated during the games, but certainly outside of the games. And might I add, you know, I think we talk athletics, these are 12 brilliant young ladies. Like everyone's academically sharp, right? So in addition to being confident, you know, in their athletic abilities, you know, they're confident that they can analyze, think things through, and understand the impact of what they say or do. Like these are these are brilliant children. I I I'd like to think that we're gonna have a future leader of our country come from this group. I certainly tell them constantly, you know, we need leaders, right? And Mary Thompson, giggling in front of me at this very moment, knows when I say, hey, I need a leader, she's the first one to rally the team and to say, you know, hey, focus, Bristol on three, and and and get the team, you know, focused, you know, further at bat or whatever the next step is. Mary, am I out of line in calling you our leader?

SPEAKER_01 19:27

That's called dead air, Mary. You gotta answer. I'll we'll take it as a no comment, but I I believe you, coach. I go with it. Um yeah, totally. Uh tell us about this pitching staff, Adam. Just uh, you know, last year it seemed to me that it was, you know, a lot of Baba, uh Ava Lafergy pitching for you, you know, as you made that run to the Northeast Regional. Uh I know I wrote about Avery Collins on the CT softball blog, you know, the Southington girl who's come over this year and really made it much deeper. But talk about Lucy B and Lucy K and the job that they can do, and and are there any other arms that if you had to go to them, that you could throw a fifth player in there.

SPEAKER_00 20:09

Yeah, so so Lucy B and Lucy K have been teammates throughout Little League. Um, and I think Ellie has been their teammate for at least the last five or six years. It's been a long time. Um and and this year, uh Avery was their teammate during the Little League season. And I don't remember what team Avery was on last season. Do you guys remember? It was the Bruins last year. Good memory. And um, so so the kids have gotten to know each other, and and I think because they they have got to know each other and and respect each other's game, um, you know, nobody minds when they they see you know Lucy K. Lucy K had a great middle school season, right? Uh Lucy B had a great middle school season as a sixth grader, right? Which is very rare to even be able to make a middle school team. Uh, you know, a lot of credit to Ellie Tisha and to uh Avery Collins and to Lucy B, who were all a full year younger than everyone else, but you'd never know because they play great, because they're very mature. And uh like I said, from the pitching staff perspective, um, you know, these kids you know were challenged by facing seventh and eighth graders all year long, and they really they really performed rather well. Um and that's that's rare to be able to have um a team that doesn't rely on one pitcher because you know you can only have one pitch at a time, but with the middle school seasons and different little league teams, all of them got to refine you know their game, you know, by being able to get those reps during the season. Um McKinley also pitched in the little league, junior league, and um middle school seasons. Uh Kiva Knowles, uh, she's got a really strong arm. Um, but she's also a phenomenal first baseman. So When you start playing people in the team to their strengths and not to individual interests, I think everybody else on the team recognizes what's best for the team. And um, and that's why there's a little bit of flexibility. Like all these kids can play infield and outfield. Uh, I think I mentioned to you that some of our best pitchers are also amongst, you know, the most talented catchers. But, you know, there's only one catcher at a time. And between Dakota and Ellie, they've done a great job of balancing one another. So in the summer months, nobody gets too hot or um or or you know, too tired. Um, you know, and and the kids, you know, you want to take the individuals away from it and say it in a in a way that might be misconstrued, but they're very interchangeable because if somebody needs a breath or just a different look, someone else can play third base, or someone else can play right field, or someone else can play shortstop, pitcher, catcher, center field. Like that's that's a real luxury for the kids to be so diversified. And then also take the interest in doing so, right? It's not a demotion just because you played a different position. Like they take the nuances, they don't want to just catch the ball like they're looking to throw somebody out at a base after they catch the ball, right? And that's that can happen probably more so in the outfield. So nobody sees you know an outfield as a as a demotion, they just see it as a different opportunity to do something different and maybe maybe get a little bit of rest in between two, if that was uh otherwise a pitcher or a catcher, you know, that's now taking you know an outfield position.

SPEAKER_01 23:31

I want to make sure the families get proper credit because we've been calling them Lucy B and Lucy K, but I'm gonna let you pronounce both of their last names, Adam. Just kind of introduce us to those two.

SPEAKER_00 23:40

Lucy B is Yeah, so listen, I was raised in Massachusetts, so pronunciation might not be my strong suit. Uh but Lucy Bastiance, uh, which uh uh and and her dad, Mike Bastiance, one of the coaches, is a phenomenal coach. I mean, just absolutely brilliant. I mean, he's got a real baseball, softball mind. Um, Lucy Callett, uh whose father is also another coach, brilliant, uh, has been in the school system for a long time, really understands the psychology of children, in addition to being an excellent coach. And he's seen so many situations that are not just ball situations, but but family situations or children's situations. He gives a perspective that allows this to be a very wholesome experience. Because if you you know stand on the sidelines and you listen to some of the other teams, uh, and it's in and out of little league, right? In and out of the school, um, you know, people can get pretty intense. And I think the thing that this group does very well is while they're capable of playing, you know, uh an intense ball game, they don't necessarily change who they are. They don't um they don't get outside of themselves in any given moment. And a lot of credit to Coach Kevin and to Coach Mike for being part of that dynamic that helps keep everybody glued and centered. Um but to put the focus back on on the children, um, listen, Lucy, Lucy Bastians and Lucy Khaled, Ava Lafergy, um, Avery Collins, like those arms are alive, right? They those kids work at it. They they throw a lot when they're not playing, they're practicing. Um, when they're not playing or practicing their their training, um, they put a lot of time into that craft. And I I feel confident in every one of them. Um and they're also very capable of playing other positions very well. Um that one is the group.

SPEAKER_01 25:36

Yeah, Lucy B, when she's not in the circle, she's at short stop stop for you. Lucy Khaled is out in center field for you. So these are two very important, you know, athletic positions that that you're putting them in when they're not in the circle. So obviously, uh these kids do have a lot of talent no matter where you put them on the field. Ellie Tisha, what's it like to catch this pitching staff? What what how how much fun is it for you and Dakota to, you know, crunch down behind the plate and work with these girls?

SPEAKER_04 26:02

It's really fun because you also get to know all the other pitch pitchers and like how they pitch and their speeds and all that. So it's fun pitching catching for everybody.

SPEAKER_01 26:16

And Mary Thompson, you know, you're there at second base being that leader. The one thing that a pitcher loves to have is a great defense behind you, and from the times that I've seen you guys play this summer, you have one heck of a defense. What's it like to to, you know, because these are these are not necessarily pitchers that are gonna strike out 15 to 18 a game. What's it like to play behind them defensively? I mean, you you gotta be ready, right?

SPEAKER_03 26:37

Yeah, you gotta always be ready. But like, it's fun to play defense. I think that's one of our best strengths. And our it's good because our pitchers know that so what if they hit it the ball? Our defense is 99% gonna make a play. They're gonna have our backs and help us out no matter what.

SPEAKER_01 26:55

And McKinley, you found out, you know, rising up from that 10U level or T-ball level or or wherever you started, you know, you're one of the outfielders on this team. By the time you hit 12U, outfield's really, really important. Uh, what's it been like for you guys out there? You, uh Lucy, you know, Colette, we talked about her. I know Juliana uh Pavlik plays out there. Ava Lafergy when she's not pitching, plays out there. How how how good is this outfield defense uh for you guys?

SPEAKER_05 27:23

Um, our outfield is just um like most of the time no ball is gonna drop because of just how good our gloves are sometimes. And we've also created a very good um relationship between all three, so there's no like if someone drops it, no one's gonna yell at them. We're gonna like we'll we'll say that they've got it next time. There's they don't we don't need to get frustrated at our other teammates for dropping one ball because it's gonna happen at some point to everyone.

SPEAKER_01 27:55

Right, and Adam, this this outfield communicates, right? I mean, I I think it was the Fairfield game where somebody hit a bomb somewhere, and you know, one of your corner outfielders who had the angle on it was yelling back, back, back, back, you know, communicating to their partners out there. Uh just how much are you are you stressing defense with this group?

SPEAKER_00 28:15

You know, um a lot of credit to Coach Mike for uh for the outfield drills he's he's performed. I think Alex Patterson and Faith Marie Soto have made us so much better. And it and a big part of that is communication. So we've got we've got a bunch of athletes. These guys can run, they can catch, they can get to places that maybe you know might be a ball hitting a gap, um, you know, if it wasn't the same group of girls. And and the thing that we've worked on is not just you know putting yourself in the the right position or catching the ball, it's it is the communication piece, it's being vocal. And I think, you know, one of the things we've stressed as coaches and maybe as a league or as a community is you know, you want to make eye contact. Really important to make eye contact so you can speak to not just your peers, but to adults, um, that when you win or you lose, you walk in a the the the high five line that you you give somebody that sincere look um and understand you've made eye contact, right? So that's that's like a starting point. I think that speaks to confidence. If your head's down, you're not confident. If your head is up and you're looking at somebody eye to eye, you know, there's a respect there. So we build off of that and we find now you've got to be vocal. And if you're not comfortable with one another, it's hard to speak up. So I think it's really made the difference that's you know, we had some shy personalities. Now those shy personalities are vocal personalities, and you as you as you get to learn a little bit more about each of those players, the girls really gravitate towards one another because they all have something to share, right? They all have different personalities and interests. So you pick up a little bit of those those nuances, and then it translates into the field. Center fielder and right fielder are converging, somebody speaks, lets the other one know. They trust that the person speaking is correct, and that's kind of wild. You know, you can't you can't get that just by putting nine players on the field. You know, you can't just hit a bunch of ground balls and pop flies and hope it it comes together. It's like you have to stress that part. And I think that's something Coach Mike really focused on. And I think when we kind of go into our post-game huddles or post-practice huddles and discuss, wow, that was great. Alex really communicated on that play. Not only did she get to where she needed to be, uh, but she let Lucy Know that this is where, you know, she was she had a good angle on. Or when Faith Marie is is in the field, you know, who who you know could be a quiet person if she wanted to be a quiet person, but now she's really found that, you know, this group is a great group to support her and and and honestly, she supports the team extremely well. Now she's found that voice and she can let people know, you know, she's got the confidence to make a great catch and a strong throw. And then there's the other outfielders that you mentioned who you may just have a few more reps than some of the others, and and the communication piece is still something you have to focus on. Uh, but it's starting to click and come together where um it's just not a guarantee if you if you don't work on those things you know with intention.

SPEAKER_01 31:23

Last question for you, coach. Monday, you head into the uh uh Connecticut State Tournament, Final Four. Just what are your thoughts right now? You know, is this team ready uh for what's gonna happen this week? And thankfully it'll be a little uh a little cooler by then, hopefully. But uh just kind of what are your general thoughts as as you head in there?

SPEAKER_00 31:42

You know, I think we try to go into every game with the same approach. Stay loose, have fun, let the game come to you. Um, you know, we always go into a game with a strategy, you always have a game plan. So probably not the right outlet to share that today. Um, but I think the the kids actually are fairly familiar with some of the players on the other teams, and you know, we take their input. So um I think we we go in there, hope to do our best, be as focused as we can be, and uh hope to play uh, you know, hopefully we play a great one-nothing ball game. Um, you know, we'd like to see uh the best from the other towns as well. And uh hopefully, you know, our best is is enough to come out in the winner's bracket.

SPEAKER_01 32:28

And Rob, that's one of the things I love about this group and getting to know them a little bit in the way I have, talking with Adam three or four times over the past week, is it's not just about softball, it's about creating great human beings. Uh, you talk about these girls at this age, you know, it's a tough age for them as it is in this, you know, as it is, yeah, you're doing the right thing. And uh to me that that's awesome, and that's more important than just the the balls and strikes and hits runs and errors and all that. So uh that's a credit to you, Adam, and your staff, and then just keep it up uh uh because uh yeah, it's been it's been interesting to learn that angle of the uh the Bristol Little League softball program that you guys have up there. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 33:08

It's been great to listen and and learn, and this team sounds primed and ready to go. I wish you all nothing but the best. It sounds fantastic.

SPEAKER_00 33:17

Thank you so much for having us.

SPEAKER_01 33:20

You're very welcome, guys. And Rob, I do want to add one thing. When I first did come up with this initial idea of doing the podcast on the Little League, I did want it to be a two-parter. I did want to include E Slime. So, in case anybody out there from ESlime, the Section 2 fans wondering how come they didn't get a podcast, I've tried to reach their coach multiple times, the number I have for him. I've gotten no messages back. I've reached out through the ESLIME Little League website. It's and everything's just going out into the vast emptiness of uh of uh the internet. So I tried, I wanted them to be a part of it, but unfortunately, when you don't hear back, that's not on us, unfortunately. But hopefully we'll catch up with them this week at the state tournament. Maybe I have a wrong number for the coach and it's going to Betty Jones. Oh, sure. And I keep bugging her in her kitchen while she's trying to make pie or something. I have no idea. But uh but uh it's not a slamity slime at all. Uh you know, they have the district two champs and they totally deserve all the press I want to give them. But uh uh but Bristol, yeah, Adam and I have been talking all week. I've gotten to see him play, and and uh I'm excited to see what this team can do uh next week at the uh Connecticut State Tournament Final Four.

SPEAKER_02 34:25

Well, we'll keep an eye on it for sure, and we'll talk to you next time. So we'll wrap that up for this edition of the Inside Corner for John Nash. I'm Rob Adams. Talk to you next time.