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Softball Names Captains, Survives First Week of Practice
9/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Sept. 14, 2010
HOUSTON - The University of Houston softball program selected team captains for the upcoming season to cap off a brutally hot first week of practice.
Aside from practicing and workouts, the Cougars took care of more preseason business by electing their team captains for the season ahead. Senior outfielder Katy Beth Sherman and sophomore pitcher Bailey Watts will serve as the team-appointed leaders.
"It's very exciting," Sherman said. "I'm very ready to take on the job. I've been here three years now and I'm really excited that it's my turn to step up and take this team to the World Series, where it's never been before."
Heavy rain kept the Cougars inside for their first three days of team practices, before the squad was finally able to take to Cougar Softball Field on Friday afternoon. Preseason conditioning coupled with the week's extreme heat and humidity has made for an intense, tough first week.
Sherman is already putting her captain skills to use, as she helped encourage and push her teammates while strength coach Dale Jones put the ladies through a sprint workout Tuesday afternoon.
"I say it in between my own breaths, but we do it together," Sherman said. "That's the motivation, that nobody falls behind and we're getting better every time."
The Cougars started the afternoon with Jones in the weight room before hustling to the field for sprints and full practice.
"It's pretty hot outside so we're adjusting our bodies first," Sherman said. "But, we're getting in there and learning everything we need to learn in our first full week on the field. We're just getting things under control and learning how everything works."
Sherman, Watts and the rest of the Cougars start their fall schedule on Sat., Oct. 2, when they travel to Spring, Texas to face Texas A&M in the opening game of the Spring Klein Fall Classic.
