[PAmedic]

kinda seems that way

[Purple Haize]

Or Softball doesn't want to make waves.?

[ballcoach15]

The LU softball field is the 2nd worse I have seen in NCAA softball. The worse was Maryland-Eastern Shore in Salisbury, MD.
A new facility would help recruiting. The LU field should have been upgraded years ago. I wonder if the coach has gone to AD and demanded better facilities ?

[Purple Haize]

I don't think the staff would demand anything.
Plus, with better facilities comes higher expectations.
I like what this staff does with what they have been given.
They have an excellent pitching coach who will be wearing the 'Big Boy(figuratively)" pants somewhere in the future.

[BJWilliams]

Keely did a fine job down at Heritage...its going to take a couple years I think to change the mindset there...I did a game between the Pioneers and Amherst last season and it seemed like they were giving runs away...I lost count of how many errors they were charged with in the game and once they got down it seemed like they gave up. Things picked up in the tournament matchup though so there is potential to be had.

As far as demanding better facilities, I am somewhat in the middle. There is definitely a need for a better field and better fieldhouse and offices, but I side with PH in the place that no one needs to go storming up to the AD's office and demanding it.

[Eighty]

There are not many coaches in DI softball than can demand anything (unless the head coach job is vacant). I have seen programs make upgrades/changes once a coach leaves. That is because the incoming coach says "I will come if you do _____". The AD just needs to hop in the golf cart, get out his map of the campus, find the field, then just walk around for a few minutes and step into the "locker room"... that should drive change. Meanwhile, they just gutted the football locker room.. again.. =)

The players and coaches have done a lot with what they have been given. Recruiting tools that other schools use, they simply don't have and won't have anytime soon. (NCAA level field/clay and dugouts, athlete dining room, athlete tutors & study area, team room that can be used in between classes (that is close to classrooms), indoor/covered pitching/hitting/fielding, video analysis, etc)

[ballcoach15]

If the proper emphasis was placed on softball, this is one sport where LU could be one of top programs in the country. A good softball facility would come cheaper in cost than baseball, football, basketball or any other sport. LU has great scoccer, track, football, basketball and even tennis facilities. No reason why softball cannot have the same. The university just needs to make the commitment. Build a new stadium, locker room , batting cages, etc, hire a new coach, i.e. an assistant off one of the Top 25 teams in country. All this would take about 3 years to see the fruits of the labor pay off.

[BJWilliams]

Lets give this season a chance. Im sure there was some consideration into the possibility of a change before LU caught lightning and won the conference a couple years ago and so the idea was tabled but Im sure after the last couple seasons it is being revisited but give him a chance this year I say

[ballcoach15]

the seating at current field is beyond terrible. I normally take a chair and sit on top of hill behind first base. For some reason, softball was forgotten about at LU, when compared to other sports. I think I know the reason, but I will refrain from posting on here.

[prototype]

I think Jerry and Admin will make good changes to current stadium in regards to seating, locker room space, training room, etc..., but doesn't make a lot of sense to have them take up that baseball field which is prime real estate on campus. They don't need that much room. I would love to see them put softball up near field hockey and lacrosse personally. BUT, their field is pretty nice compared to what it used to be.

[Eighty]

From the Liberty Champion “When you have an 18-year-old young man or lady coming into your campus to look at a sport, they want to know that you care about their sport and want to know that you are invested in it and committed to it,” Barber said. “So, when folks come in and see this stadium, they are going to know we are very serious about our baseball — just like we are with our other 19 sports.”

ponder that quote as you summon up visions of the construction trailer locker room and 17 year old cinder block dugouts...

[alabama24]

From the Liberty Champion “When you have an 18-year-old young man or lady coming into your campus to look at a sport, they want to know that you care about their sport and want to know that you are invested in it and committed to it,” Barber said. “So, when folks come in and see this stadium, they are going to know we are very serious about our baseball — just like we are with our other 19 sports.”

ponder that quote as you summon up visions of the construction trailer locker room and 17 year old cinder block dugouts...

Wow. I guess if Barber were to get "Softball" questions at his next interview, that word would take on a whole new meaning.

[BJWilliams]

I will say that softball probably hasnt gotten facilities upgrades because its lower on the priority list as sports go. Remember, the focus right now is on baseball primarily. any significant renovation to the field especially as seating goes will affect dorms 31 and 32 so the students living there would have to be considered as plans are made.

[SuperJon]

Again: maybe we just don't care about softball. We don't demand excellence. We don't invest in facilities. We don't hold it to the standards of our other sports.

It's plainly obvious if you just step back and admit it's a possibility.

[alabama24]

Again: maybe we just don't care about softball. We don't demand excellence. We don't invest in facilities. We don't hold it to the standards of our other sports.

It's plainly obvious if you just step back and admit it's a possibility.

Let me suggest another possibility:

Liberty, to meet Title 9 requirements, had to add several sports. Why do the other sports have better facilities? Because they are brand new and Liberty HAD to encourage their growth. Furthermore, Liberty did have plans to make Worthington Field the new Softball field.

I think this thread is great, and has brought attention to the needs Softball has… but there needs to be some balance.

[olldflame]

Good point bama. Who knows, maybe someone in a decision making position who has been known to stop by the board from time to time will read this.

[ballcoach15]

Excellent post above by SuperJon. Softball receives less attention at LU than probably any other sport. I think in reality, it would be easier for LU to have a nationally ranked team in softball than any other sport. The commitment just has to be made.

There's a school in Texas, Dallas Baptist (I think is the name) who fields a really good baseball team. If they can do it in baseball, LU can do it in softball.

LU should build a new stadium that would be the best in all of NCAA Softball. Then for personnel changes______________________________________________________________ .

[Sly Fox]

DBU puts nearly all of its resources into baseball which at last check was their only DI sport. So it is tough to use them as an example.

[adam42381]

Good point bama. Who knows, maybe someone in a decision making position who has been known to stop by the board from time to time will read this.

Time for a PM from BJ...

[logic]

Excellent post above by SuperJon. Softball receives less attention at LU than probably any other sport. I think in reality, it would be easier for LU to have a nationally ranked team in softball than any other sport. The commitment just has to be made.

There's a school in Texas, Dallas Baptist (I think is the name) who fields a really good baseball team. If they can do it in baseball, LU can do it in softball.

LU should build a new stadium that would be the best in all of NCAA Softball. Then for personnel changes______________________________________________________________ .

We all appreciate that you're a diehard softball fan, but some prior knowledge and historical perspective would be good. Men's TF has been as finished as high as 12th in the country, while golf was 10th last year. List some reasons as to why softball would be a perennial top-10 program if they had a new facility. Why would it be easier for softball than any of the other women's sports?

[ballcoach15]

By ranked I did not mean Top 10, but to answer your question, LU needs to do a complete makeover of softball program.

Build state of the art stadium, with indoor batting cages, locker rooms, player lounge, etc

Don't like to say much on coaching changes.........................but we need a change.

Improve recruiting, which is tied to the above.

[CheapSeats]

Hello ! Started the talk about the stadium becasue I always end up in the CheapSeats. Can't see many games from here, but it seems to me that it is a process. I think people started to look forward to the new stadium.(will people who got recruited with the talk of a new facility be dissapointed and leave??)
There are a lot of locals that might stop in to watch games but right now (in my opinion) there all pretty CheapSeats. There are advantages to recruiting if your facility is quality (football fans can chime in here). Baseball has been using the "tool" (the model of the stadium) for over a year now. I hope to get into the new stadium for baseball... look for me I will be up in the CheapSeats.

[alabama24]

Build state of the art stadium, with indoor batting cages, locker rooms, player lounge.

Does baseball have indoor batting cages? And why should softball get more than other women's sports?

[olldflame]

Build state of the art stadium, with indoor batting cages, locker rooms, player lounge.

Does baseball have indoor batting cages? And why should softball get more than other women's sports?

They shouldn´t, but they should not be treated like red headed step children either.

I really think the whole problem stems from having announced plans to convert Worthington and then changing (and I believe rightly so) because they realized that location is simply too valuable to devote to softball. I feel confident the needs of the softball program will be addressed and they will have a facility they can be proud of.

[Purple Haize]

Build state of the art stadium, with indoor batting cages, locker rooms, player lounge.

Does baseball have indoor batting cages? And why should softball get more than other women's sports?

They shouldn´t, but they should not be treated like red headed step children either.

I really think the whole problem stems from having announced plans to convert Worthington and then changing (and I believe rightly so) because they realized that location is simply too valuable to devote to softball. I feel confident the needs of the softball program will be addressed and they will have a facility they can be proud of.

So how do you square those two statements? The land didn't get anymore 'valuable' after they announced they were moving to the 'redone' Worthington Stadium.