MEET COACH SEN: Evaristo Takes Over The Mitchell College Softball Program

Yesenia Evaristo, AKA Coach Sen, has been named the new head coach at Mitchell College. 

A former pitching coach at Eastern Connecticut State University, Coach Sen is ready to take her over her own program and she is looking to grow Mitchell into one of the state's top Division 3 programs.

Before heading out to the recruiting trail, which included a weekend trip to a Showcase event in Taunton, Mass., Evaristo, a graduate of Bethel High School and Southern Connecticut State University, took the time to join The Inside Corner Podcast.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:09

Hi everyone, welcome to the Inside Corner as we continue on getting stories for you from around Connecticut softball with John Nash. I'm Rob Adams, and John, let's let's dive into a new edition.

SPEAKER_01 0:23

Yeah, this week uh we're meeting one of uh the state of Connecticut's newest coaches. Uh we're gonna sit down and have a chat with Yasenia Everisto. She's the new head coach at Mitchell College up in New London. And joining us on her first ever podcast is this Connecticut Softball Blog's uh summer intern, straight from Cog and Chog High School, a shortstop, a pitcher, a kid who just loves softball, Taryn Adams. Taryn, welcome. And uh are you excited for your first ever podcast?

SPEAKER_03 0:53

I am. Uh I've never done a podcast before, so I'm excited to see how it works and uh interview the new coach of Mitchell College and uh hear all the advice and her story.

SPEAKER_00 1:06

Well, absolutely we welcome you. And no, Taryn and I are not related, but she's now extended family as far as I'm concerned.

SPEAKER_03 1:15

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 1:17

Yeah, no, it was it was a great coach with uh a great chat with Coach, and we learned a lot about her, about her rise, you know, to becoming a uh uh uh uh uh head college coach. It's her first head coach in the gig, and uh uh yeah, it was a lot of fun to talk to her, so not much more to say then.

SPEAKER_00 1:35

I think we should probably take a break first and then dive in. What do you think, John? That works for me. We'll do that and we'll come right back, John and Taryn with the coach, right after this on the inside corner. This episode is brought to you by Union 12 Design. From the dugout to the boardroom, they're redefining custom apparel. Whether you're outfitting a softball team or designing corporate apparel, they offer premium brands and make the process easy and seamless. With a designer-led approach, your gear feels elevated, not expected. They'll even manage your online store from start to finish, keeping everything smooth from concept to completion. Visit Union12design.com. Union12design, where premium meets purpose. Welcome back to the inside corner, everyone. Well, you don't want to hear too much more of me. You want to hear John and Terrence. So, first, here's John.

SPEAKER_01 2:30

Thanks, Rob, and and coach. Welcome to the podcast.

unknown 2:33

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 2:34

Obviously, you know, exciting times for you, uh, you know, being named the head coach at Mitchell College, and just what does that mean to you to take over your own program at this point of your career?

SPEAKER_04 2:44

I think, you know, this is something that I've been working towards for a while. And, you know, you never know when it's going to come, but I'm happy that it has come now at this point, and I'm excited to get started with Mitchell and the girls and create a new kind of legacy for that program.

SPEAKER_01 3:02

And has this been a lifelong dream for you, a lifelong goal? You know, something you always wanted to do was have your own college program?

SPEAKER_04 3:09

So I've always wanted to coach. And, you know, I've started at bits and pieces. I started with travel, and then I started with high school, and then I started transitioning into the college about five years ago. So, you know, as you start to get a taste for it and you start to see and learn how things work, it starts to become something that you know you really want to work for. So initially was it always my dream? Uh, I I wouldn't say always, but I think as time went on and I really started falling in love with the coaching aspect of it, then it was something that I had my eyes set on.

SPEAKER_01 3:46

And obviously you're you're coming uh uh down the road a little bit from Willamantic, where you served as the pitching coach for Diana Pepin up at Eastern Connecticut State University, uh, who got a new coach today, as was reported on the Connecticut Soft blog softball blog earlier. But uh I guess why now? What was it because Diana left and and all that? Did this just seem like the right time to branch out?

SPEAKER_04 4:09

And I think, you know, after learning under her for a while, I think this was the perfect time because change happens, right? Things happen and we don't always know why things happen, but I think this was like the perfect time, you know, her retirement, me stepping into a different role, you know, going to Mitchell, seeing a different opportunity, I think this was the perfect time. And I think it really solidified my choice of wanting to become a head coach.

SPEAKER_01 4:37

And and why Mitchell? What what landed you there, I guess? What was it about this program that that got you to apply and uh and make the move?

SPEAKER_04 4:46

I think you know the campus is beautiful, the facilities are brand new. Um, it's like a little piece of you know everything in a small campus. There's the beaches, there's the field, the facilities are beautiful, the school is beautiful, it's a small community. And I think when you look at starting your own program, I think everyone has been open arms and so willing to help at Mitchell, and they're very excited to have me there, and I'm excited to be there. You know, seeing this opportunity, it's a small school, it's a program, you know, that needs some, you know, culture building and some stability. And I think that this is why I chose that, because this gives me a chance to like ease into this head coaching position with a great group of girls, a supportive staff and admin and you know, other coaches around that are willing to help. So I think this is you start small, and I think that we can really build something great at Mitchell.

SPEAKER_01 5:46

And what are you hoping to build? Like where do you see the program in in five to ten years? Uh what do you hope to build up there?

SPEAKER_04 5:53

I'm hoping to build a different kind of legacy, you know, something that withstands time and the alumni that graduate, they want to come back and visit. And, you know, people start talking about Mitchell College in a way like, I want to go there, even though it's a small school, like I want to bring a name to Mitchell College and say, I want to play for that team, I want to build the legacy with that team and create a culture that would stand time.

SPEAKER_01 6:23

Obviously, located, you know, right in New London, and and when you think of that part of the state, you know, the Shoreline League, you know, uh all the way up 95, you get Norwich, uh, which has a great history up at Norwich Free Academy and places like that. Uh, you know, but you don't think of college softball being that big there. But but is that is that something you want to build? You want people to kind of look around the state and you know, Eastern has a great tradition.

SPEAKER_04 6:46

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 6:47

Could someday Mitchell uh hopefully become that school?

SPEAKER_04 6:50

You know, hopefully that is something that I'm trying to build. You know, I started a couple weeks ago, I've hit the ground running. We're on the recruiting trail, and I'm trying to build that legacy that, like you said, people are talking about Mitchell College as being part of that D3 powerhouse. I don't think that, you know, it's impossible. I think that they deserve that. And that's definitely something that we're trying to build.

SPEAKER_01 7:13

Well, we'll come back to Mitchell at some point in this interview, I'm sure, but but I want to know your history. Like what brought you to the softball field that very first time? How come you're not playing soccer or playing basketball or you know, uh I know I think I can't remember where you're from uh exactly originally? Oh, you're a Connecticut kid then?

SPEAKER_04 7:32

I am, yep. I grew up in Metro, Connecticut.

SPEAKER_01 7:34

Okay, so you could you could have been a lacrosse player then. What was it about softball that drew you to to this sport and and now it's your career?

SPEAKER_04 7:41

You know, it's something that my dad always played. He played in a men's league, so I kind of grew up at the softball field. Um, both of my parents are big into athletics, both my biological parents and my stepparents, and they had a big role in this, all four of them. Um, you know, they made sure that I was involved in something, and softball was something that I picked up and I ran with it. Um, my stepmom played college softball, so it was something that, you know, her, my dad, and myself were a part of. And then my stepdad coached football at high levels, and he was a personal trainer, so I would train with him and my mother. So that I had the best of both worlds. And once I started picking up a softball, I ran with it and everyone supported me. And I ended up going to play at Southern Connecticut and I, you know, fell in love with it all over again. I think every piece of my journey throughout softball, I have fallen in love with a different piece, and I have been so thankful for what softball has brought me. I played uh softball in Spain for the USA team where I played Barcelona, Madrid, and Valencia. That was awesome. Um, I met one of my best friends who was my pitching coach at Southern Connecticut, who has, you know, helped me along this journey even as I transitioned into coaching, um, Kelly Brenner-Hennessy. Um, she was a big part in this as well. You know, she tackles Cheshire High School as their pitching coach. So, you know, building this network and then getting into coaching and having some of you know other coaches as mentors, and then, you know, working under Pep has been, you know, such an awesome experience. So I it has really been a journey and it's one that I hope to continue for a while more. But I from the beginning I I fell in love with this.

SPEAKER_01 9:35

And at Bethel, were you a pitcher?

SPEAKER_04 9:37

I was a pitcher. Yep. Um, I had a lot of strikeout records. I actually broke my stepmom's strikeout record. Um, she had the record, yep, she had the record for 18 years, and then 18 years later I came in and I broke one of her records, and it was, you know, a household topic for a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 9:56

I was gonna say, was it tough going to bed without dinner that night? That you know that you break my record night. Um what what drew you to the circle? What what made you want to become a pitcher? Because obviously it's a high pressure situation, but a lot of people say, especially at the younger level, uh, you know, they want to be part of the action. So they don't want to be standing in right field or left field when you're U8 or something because you hardly ever get any balls. But what was it about, you know, that position that made you want to become a pitcher?

SPEAKER_04 10:27

Um, I think, you know, like you said, you want the ball, you want to be part of every single play, and that was it for me. I, you know, at a young age, like I was told that I was too small and I wasn't going to be able to do it. And, you know, at that point, once people started telling me that I wasn't going to be able to do something for me, that was the motivation to go and do it more. Um, you know, the support of my parents, they never doubted me for a second. My work ethic and you know, my size didn't matter. So, any way possible to make me successful in the circle, they were gonna make it happen for me. So, you know, using that motivation that people said that I wasn't gonna do it, I I proved a lot of people wrong. And, you know, it's that, you know, adrenaline, it's that push. It's you want to be in control and you know make plays happen. And I that's the part of the game that I fell in love with.

SPEAKER_01 11:19

I I gotta think you you fell in love with the cerebral part of the game a little bit too, because you became a pitching coach.

SPEAKER_02 11:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:25

So, you know, what was it that was it your pitching coaches who who kind of ignited that spark with you that that you want to, you know, give back to others in terms of teaching them how to pitch?

SPEAKER_04 11:34

Yeah, absolutely. Like I said, Kelly has played a big role in my life, like from the second that I met her at Southern to this day today. Um, I saw the relationship that I built with her as a player, and then after I graduated, um, and that kind of sparked the I want to be able to help other kids and you know, coach them. But even when I was in high school, I was still giving lessons. I wanted to teach other people, and I think as I start to get older, the the satisfaction and seeing how happy these girls get when they do see the success and they do want to work hard. Like I think all of that is just so rewarding. And I love seeing the growth. I've had girls from eighth grade go to college now, and or I'm sorry, eight years old to go to college, and they're amazing. And I still am in contact with a lot of them.

SPEAKER_01 12:28

That is amazing.

SPEAKER_03 12:30

I have a question.

SPEAKER_01 12:30

Yeah, go I was gonna say, Taryn, you're a pitcher on a shortstop, so jump right in.

SPEAKER_03 12:35

Yeah, um, I wanted to ask what your approach to pitching is. Um, I actually just had a pitching lesson today, and my pitching coach was talking about stride and legs, and that's really what she focuses on. But some pitching coaches are more focused on arm speed. So, what's your approach to pitching? What do you teach your girls?

SPEAKER_04 12:53

So I worry about base as well. Um, I don't care about the speed. I'm more of a spin pitcher. I like to see the girls be able to spin the ball. I know there is sometimes this hyperfixation on how hard can you throw it, but sometimes speed isn't always the answer. So if you can spin the ball and make it move and make it dance, like you're gonna be successful. So I think you know, just like your pitching coach, like I worry about different things, but it also is person base. Not all of my girls are the same. Some are small like me, some are taller than me. You know, you get a wide variety of pitching, pitching. Like right now, I have um a lot of pitchers in Rhode Island because I reside now in Rhode Island. Um, and some of them are young, some of them are older, but everyone is different. So I think it's per person base. But my mindset for my philosophy hasn't changed. I always want to make sure that we have good mechanics and body control before we worry about how hard we throw the ball.

SPEAKER_03 13:50

I get that as a pitcher who's not the fastest, everybody's saying, Oh, you gotta get more miles, but I can hit my spots. So yeah, that's it. There's speed isn't everything.

SPEAKER_04 14:02

No, it's not. And if you know, if I can call an inside fastball and you hit that nine out of ten times, then you're set. We have to be able to mix and switch it up and change speeds, change eye level. So you keep doing that. Don't worry about the speed. Thank you. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:21

I I love that because I have a pitcher that that's very close to me in my life who's uh you know almost like a daughter to me in a way, and and she's a spin pitcher. And just to watch her go from this 11, you know, this 11-year-old kid who I caught helped teach to throw strikes. I I can't teach movement, I'm the opposite. Uh, so I kind of, you know, when she got old enough that she wanted to start making the ball move or had to make the ball move, it was like just to see her, you know, I caught for her today, and her curveball was just crazy today. And uh, you know, I remember the first time she threw a screwball that made a battle look silly, she was like, ooh, I like this, and you really start buying in. How do you decide when a pitcher's ready to move to that next step? And you know, is it once they're consistently throwing strikes that you can say, okay, let's start to work in the other pitches?

SPEAKER_04 15:07

Yeah, so I do a lot of charting with my pitchers. Um, we focus on locations and spots and things like that. Um, as soon as they're around 80% accuracy of certain pitches, then we can talk about moving around. Because if one pitch is not really working, then why would we move on to an X? And you know, you see a lot of girls and they're like, I throw 10 different pitches, and I'm like, okay, where do they go? And sometimes they don't even know where they're supposed to go. And that's okay. Like, you know, two each is their own, but we do really focus on charting those pitches. And when we think that we're ready, we're gonna sit down and we're gonna do a chart. We're gonna talk about your locations and you know how things are moving, and then if it's good and we're at 80%, even 75% is okay um for some pitchers, but then once we're at our mark, then we can move on.

SPEAKER_01 16:00

And and while you're at Mitchell, do you hire a pitching coach or do you handle that yourself because of your experience? Have you decided or yeah?

SPEAKER_04 16:07

So I will handle the pitching. Um, I am bringing uh one of my assistant coach is a player that had played for me in the past. Um, she is a catcher, so even if I'm not in the bullpen, she knows my routine so she can help the pitchers as well. She has a good eye for it. She, you know, listened to me for three years and she knows exactly the language that I'm using, what to look out for. So she's great, and I'm excited to have her with me. Um, but I will be primarily working with the pitchers and you know, everyone else. But structuring their bull pens differently so I'm not, you know, buried in there will be what I plan on doing.

SPEAKER_01 16:48

Are you allowed to say who this new assistant coach is yet?

SPEAKER_04 16:52

Yeah, um, her name is Abby Thompson. Um, she was my catcher at Eastern for three years. Um, and she's she's like I said, she's wonderful. She's a learner of the game, she's eager to learn, she's excited for this opportunity of coaching, and I'm excited to have her because we do have that great relationship, and she's been out recruiting with me. She is coming to campus with me on Friday to give some tours to some student athletes. So, you know, she's already putting in the work with me. So I'm excited to have her with me.

SPEAKER_01 17:21

And is this her first coaching gig?

SPEAKER_04 17:22

Yep, this is her first coaching gig. She just graduated in May.

SPEAKER_01 17:26

Nice. Okay. So so let's go back to your graduation from Southern. What led you into coaching? What was your path there? Because I know you were at uh Cranston High School for a little bit uh and all that, but you you'd mentioned you've also coached travel. So kind of how did you make that jump from player to coach?

SPEAKER_04 17:41

It it was definitely a transition because you're like so intense when you're in um in college and you're going game to game to game. So then I was able to go to the Connecticut Gators. Um, it's right on Post Road in New Melford. It was a wonderful opportunity. I got to learn a lot. Um, so we coach a couple teams from there and you know, really got into it with the littles. So we started with the little kids, and then you know, you obviously progressed. And then when I moved to Rhode Island, I went and coached the high school. And then after, you know, you get once you've coached every age group, I think that you kind of find your niche. I love the littles, I I do, they bring a different kind of energy. Um, but I definitely think that I fell in love with coaching college a little bit more, just for the the pace of the game. The pace is a little bit slower with the littles.

SPEAKER_01 18:38

Very much so, yeah. It's funny when I learned your Rhode Island connection, I reached out to uh Adam Lalibity, the Fairfield Ludlove coach and and was like, Hey, do you know Coach Sen from uh when you were up in Rhode Island? And and he knew he knew you more so because from Connecticut, because of course you were Alex Louie's pitching coach. Yes, and Alex led them to back-to-back uh state championships and and uh and all that. So uh so again that that's one one of the things I love about uh softball in New England and especially in Connecticut is it's it's such a small village, I guess, of people, but everybody knows everybody and and that type of thing.

SPEAKER_03 19:15

So uh I'm always playing someone I know. Always it's a small opportunity, it's a great show.

SPEAKER_01 19:23

So so the jump to Eastern, uh no, you actually before Eastern, you were at uh Rhode Island College? Yeah. The jump to college, what made you decide to to leave Cranston High for again?

SPEAKER_04 19:35

I think it was just right time, right moment type of thing. Um things in my life were shifting, um, some more time was available to me. So, you know, I reached out to the coach at the time and we connected and we were ready to go. And she was a brand new coach. She had spent one year there um already. Her pitching coach had left. I was giving lessons out of the facility that I'm currently at right now. And the pitching coach was like, Hey, I'm moving back to New York. Like, you should reach out to her. And I was like, All right, like I reached out to her. So one door opened, and then I jumped into it. I learned a lot under her, and then obviously things changed because I had shoulder surgery. I was a teacher for the severe and profound medically fragile. So I ended up getting hurt at work. I had surgery, I was down for a little bit, and then you know, a position opened up with Coach Pepin, and then I ultimately made the change at that moment.

SPEAKER_01 20:34

And how many years were you with Coach Pepin?

SPEAKER_04 20:36

I was with her for three years.

SPEAKER_01 20:38

For three years, okay. So, and and now here we are, your own program, and uh uh the future is yours for the taking, as they say. You know, you you talked about coaching so many different levels and that, and at what age do you think a kid should start really? I don't I don't say stop being a kid, you know, because Taryn obviously is is at you know uh rising junior uh at Coggachog right now. Uh and you know, I know we've talked to her. Does she want to play college ball? Doesn't she want to play college ball? But when should a kid start really honing in on knowing that, okay, this is something I want to do? And when should the parents maybe back off a little bit or or start pushing a little harder, maybe jump to that travel team that's a little more competitive? Is there an age, do you think, or is it more just depending dependent on the kid?

SPEAKER_04 21:29

I I honestly think it's depending on the kid because I have some girls that are so you know, tunnel vision on college athletics. They know from you know a young age that they see all the girls on TV and that's what they want to be, and they push themselves. I have you know, some 10 year olds that are on my fitness app and they are doing home workouts, practicing lessons, doing all the things because that's what those athletes do. And then I have some girls that are just starting to get. Into the flow and they come to camps and they're trying to like test the waters out, being on more competitive teams, and it really is just a person-based thing thing. You know, really some kids really start to focus on it in the eighth grade. Believe it or not, they really start to really push themselves, but then some girls wait until after their sophomore year in high school because coaches can't talk to them yet. So they wait a little bit, they kind of see, they feel it out, and that's okay. It really all depends.

SPEAKER_01 22:34

What what should parents look for for when it comes to to maybe are are you burning your kid out a little bit? Are there signs? Like, do you see things in your kids where it's like, okay, let's back off a little bit. She's not responding as well to you know being coached? Kind of what's your take on that?

SPEAKER_04 22:51

So, I mean, like, I've had a lot of conversations with some different people. You know, you could tell when the girls are a little bit tired, they, you know, maybe display a little bit more emotion and like they're a little bit more sensitive during a workout and they're like teetering, and you're like, all right, let's like pull back a little bit. Um, for the most part, I think a lot of my girls are great at communicating with me, whether or not they're tired. The parents, since we have such open and honest conversations all the time, they identify with their daughters a little bit more. Um, I think it's all about how you communicate with your parents, right? I am very open and honest with them as they come in and say, this is the expectation, this is what we want to do. But then these are the signs to look for if we're doing too much. So it's just having that relationship with people to in order to identify what their kids need and when it is time to pull back a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 23:45

Um Karen, did you have any other questions that you wanted to ask? Because I just had one that I was gonna close out with, but um, yeah, I do actually.

SPEAKER_03 23:55

So uh your responsibilities when you coached at Rhode Island College included recruiting operations, and um, what does the process of recruiting look like from the coach's perspective? Like, for example, what are you looking for in players? How do you find them? Is it mostly through emails or is it mostly through something else?

SPEAKER_04 24:14

Okay. So I mean, like that is something that I've learned throughout coaching with different people, right? We all have different ideas of what we want. Um, and for me personally, I think the biggest thing is finding, you know, some athletes that are showing good work ethic, great communication skills. So, like your point communicating via email. If we're on like a texting base or a calling, like making sure that you're addressing the coach appropriately, not just saying, hey, what's up? Like, hey coach, how are you? And this is what I need. Um when I go to the field, I'm obviously looking at how they communicate with their teammates, how they communicate with their coaches. Are they hustling on and off the field? That's like super important because if you're someone that's kind of walking, it's like, eh, that's not really part of the culture that we're trying to, you know, build. And then, you know, some people laugh at me, but I do recruit the parents as well. Um, I'm kind of seeing where they are on the field. If you're behind the back stop, if you're yelling at the coach, or if you're trying to talk to your daughter, you know, in between innings, you know, those are things that some coaches, myself in particular, are looking for. Because like we want independent athletes. We want you guys to be able to advocate for yourself. Like I'm a big advocate, you know, I have three stepchildren and they're wonderful, but they're also learning how to advocate for themselves because we're not always going to be there to communicate for them. You know, so that's something that I want to make sure that when I'm recruiting, you know, as a parent, that's what I want to see in other people.

SPEAKER_01 25:50

I love that question, Taryn. I was gonna say I love that question, but I also love the answer because one of the things back when I was coaching, I was always telling kids, you never know who is watching you. So you've got to carry yourself like you know, say Gino Oriama or Pat Patrick Murphy from Alabama just happened to show up at this Connecticut field. You never know. So you've always got to give it your best, not just your best effort, your best plays, but again, all that other stuff. So I love that answer so much. Go ahead, Taryn.

SPEAKER_03 26:20

Um, the I also had one other question. So you privately train more than 40 athletes. How do you manage your coaching responsibilities and also your private lessons?

SPEAKER_04 26:32

Great time management. Um, there is a balance. Um, I am very big on you know, writing things down. I know everyone's like, put it in your phone, but I have it in my phone, I have it on our family calendar, and I have it on a planner. I have checklists, I like to make sure that everything is just mapped out for me from day-to-day life, obviously, like family, work, and lessons. Um I mean, it is a balance, it's a juggling act, but thankfully, because I was an athlete, I think that's what also prepared me. And my parents were wonderful. Both my parents were in the military, so I had a very structured life and very organized and very, you know, scheduled oriented. So I think because of my mom and my dad, I am the way that I am and able to handle all of these situations and tasks that I put for myself, but I do definitely take breaks. Like I am not overloading my plate.

SPEAKER_01 27:28

And in this day and age of year-round softball players, take a break, take the month of August off, go on vacation. Now all these travel tryouts are early.

SPEAKER_04 27:38

We're going to Aruba in like three weeks. I'm counting down.

SPEAKER_01 27:42

So you're going for cooler weather, is what you're saying.

SPEAKER_04 27:44

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Aruba's very nice.

SPEAKER_01 27:49

Oh, I'm excited. Can't imagine. Uh, coach, last question I had for you. And and and again, you know, uh, I'm hoping maybe some people that come across the podcast that might be considering Mitchell or or never heard of it before, but maybe knew you were from Eastern. What's your pitch? What sell Mitchell College to us right now. What is it about it that that you know you talked about a beautiful campus, but I just want to play some good softball for a good program, for a good coach. Give us your pitch.

SPEAKER_04 28:18

I think the biggest thing is, you know, the buy-in. We are creating something that is going to change the way that people see Mitchell College softball. Um, being, you know, competitive and being a family and making sure that every girl that steps on the field and into the program feels that they're loved and cared for because they are more than just athletes to me. They are people that I genuinely care about. You know, you brought up Elizabeth Mitchell before, like we have such a great relationship and I wish her nothing but the best, but I am always still here if she ever needs anything. You know, what Kelly did for me at Southern is what she continues to do even as an adult, as a coach. So that is what I'm trying to instill. I want to make sure that these athletes that come to me and our program know that they are bigger than you know, themselves. Like we are going to be a family, we're going to be a community, we're going to be a powerhouse. And it's just going to take those pieces of the puzzle to put it all together. And if they believe and they buy into that, then we are going to, you know, shoot for the stars.

SPEAKER_01 29:21

Oh, that's awesome. Yesenia Everisto. Did I get it right?

SPEAKER_02 29:25

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 29:26

Nice. Coach Sen is everybody calls her. Thank you so much for joining us. Uh needless to say, you know, we we wish you the best of luck. Uh, every late winter, we always preview all the different colleges. So I'll, you know, definitely be in touch again to talk about some of the great recruits that you're getting in uh this year, hopefully. Or is the recruiting done for this year? Are you now recruiting for 27? No, so you're still going after kids.

SPEAKER_04 29:47

Yeah, I'm still going.

SPEAKER_01 29:48

So awesome. Well, we wish you the best of luck, and thank you so much for joining us.

SPEAKER_04 29:52

Thank you so much for having me.

SPEAKER_01 29:54

All right, folks. Rob and I will be right back after this message to close out this edition of the Inside Corner, the Connecticut Softball Blog Podcast.

SPEAKER_00 30:04

Robcasting has been the home to professional and college athletics, high school, youth, and semi-pro sports, and so much more. Get on deck for live play-by-play coverage. Have your team heard on Robcasting via the Mixler app and Robcasting.com. This is Rob Adams. I'll call the play by play with the same excitement I've delivered for over a quarter of a century. Email me at robcastingradio at gmail.com. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Let's bring your team to the world. All right, we're back after the conversation with coach and uh first of all, Taryn, I'll go to you first. The heck with John. What'd you think?

SPEAKER_03 30:44

Um, I thought it was great. I really liked uh talking to the coach. She seems like a great coach, really player-focused and player-centered, you know. It's all about the player. Her coaching technique isn't set in stone. She's more focused on, you know, this player needs this work. We're gonna get this player to focus on hitting her spots instead of focusing on her arm speed or things like that.

SPEAKER_01 31:10

And John, your thoughts. Yeah, no, Taryn was spot on. That you know, she she coaches the kid, not uh necessarily a certain style, and it's do it my way, and and that's it. You know, uh uh I know Taryn had asked about uh you know spin pitching versus power pitching and different things, and and uh depending on how her pitcher pitches, she certainly is in tune with that and wants to make them the best version of themselves. Uh the other thing that that really stood out for me was just how not just confident, but how excited she was to try to make Mitchell College a softball plot power here in Division III in Connecticut, you know. Um, you know, they're one of the programs that has has probably struggled for a few years, I guess. But, you know, this is a uh a woman that, you know, she she's from Bethel. Uh she was the pitching coach at a very highly successful Eastern Connecticut program for three years until Diana Pepin stepped down. So uh and I think what was her quote, she hates to lose more than she likes to win, or something like that. Or uh that might have been actually that might have been Elizabeth Mitchell, uh from you know, the Coventry pitcher who said that, who uh uh was uh Coach Sens is her pitching coach. But it's that same type of mentality, you know, of uh of a coach that hates to lose, and I think she's gonna do everything in her power to really try to make Mitchell more competitive, and it's gonna be exciting to see if if she can do that. Uh, you know, but if anybody's gonna do it, it's a good hungry young coach who really connects with her players, and she seems like to she could be that type of coach.

SPEAKER_00 32:40

Yeah, sense I sense that Mitchell's heading in the right direction with with this coach.

SPEAKER_01 32:45

Uh yeah, very much so. And uh, you know, again, you never know until you get out there between the baselines and and all that, but but she certainly seems to be doing everything right. Uh, she's still recruiting for next year, you know, even though it's late in the game, there are those, you know, uh players still out there that maybe have fallen through the cracks, and you know, maybe one or two of them can be a game changer for you. You never know. So she's out there looking already and working hard. So, you know, we'll see what happens this year. And and I think every every coach, you kind of got to give them three or four years to make the team their own. You know, right now the team she has is the prior uh administrations, if you will. So uh you've got to give her a couple of years, and maybe we'll catch up with her in a couple of years and see how she's doing.

SPEAKER_00 33:25

And Taryn, as the newest member of the family, how are you feeling about your first podcast?

SPEAKER_03 33:30

Oh, I'm feeling great about it. You know, this was really exciting, and I hope to be on some more and uh get the experience from this.

SPEAKER_00 33:40

John, she's a natural, she's hired, she can have my job. There you go.

SPEAKER_01 33:44

I I know her dream. Actually, I'll let Taryn speak for herself. What's your dream job there, kiddo?

SPEAKER_03 33:49

Uh, my dream job is like a softball reporter, a sideline reporter for well, not specifically softball, but for baseball.

SPEAKER_00 33:58

Oh, I love it. We're looking at the next Holly Row right here. I love it. Fantastic. Who who would you who's your role model? Do you have one? Someone you've looked up to?

SPEAKER_03 34:09

Um, I do, and it's Taylor McGregor for the Chicago Cubs. That's my team. I watched her on television when I was 12 years old. I pointed to her and I said, Dad, I want to be her.

SPEAKER_00 34:19

Oh, wow. I love that. That's fantastic. Well, we welcome you, we wish you well, and we're gonna have a lot of fun moving forward. Yeah, I can't wait. And John, on that note, we can probably wrap up. Let's do it. All right, that'll do it for this edition. So for Taryn Adams, John Nash, I'm Rob Adams. You've been listening to the Inside Court.