Speaker 1 00:00:12 Hello. Welcome to the roundhouse podcast with Paul Solen, Trump of Wichita state university's strategic communications. Today, we're gonna talk about soccer, softball with associate head coach Elizabeth conman. Elizabeth is entering her sixth season with the shockers Wichita state went 34 and 18 last year played an NCAA regional for a second street season. And the third time in the past four, we've got a big weekend for shocker softball coming up. They have their banquet on Saturday night on Sunday, the shocks open their fall schedule versus Pittsburgh state, which is where Elizabeth coached for six seasons. That scrimmage is up 1:00 PM. Let's start. We're sitting in the press box at Wilkin stadium. We're about 20 yards from the new batting cages and turf looks like there are four new batting cages. There's a turf area. I guess you could take some infield practice. What, what all do you do over there and how does that help the shocker softball program? Well,
Speaker 2 00:01:05 It's, it's an unbelievable space to have added to our practice area. So we've been in it for just a month now. Um, and there's actually six regular size cages. Um, there are three big cages if you pull the middle partitions back. So we're able to do lots of station work or get more, um, ball flight information. If you want a bigger cage, you can see which, uh, what direction, how far, how hard all that stuff on the ball. Um, but it's done. We do have extra space. The pictures have been able to throw down there when they all five work together and do pitching conditioning. Um, opposing teams will be able to warm up down there. We have not taken infield yet, cuz we've had, um, pretty good weather for the fall. So, but I, I would assume we could do drill work
Speaker 1 00:01:45 And stuff. So it's big enough. You could do
Speaker 2 00:01:47 That kind of stuff. Yeah. Just some, some love work and things like that. But yeah, it's a great, a great space that we, we absolutely needed. We were, you know, we were getting the work that we needed to get done in our, in our previous cages that are still up. Um, but we went from one and a half cages to six, which is a, a big time improvement cuz it seems like hitting is contagious here. I think now that, um, we've had some success, everybody wants more. So there's more kids coming in on their own. We need more space. So we've gotten some more machines. We've been lucky to have a couple donors really buy into our philosophy and it's taken off the girls are loving it
Speaker 1 00:02:24 Ball flight information. So that sounds like, uh, the video tracking, all that kind of velocity, all that kind of stuff that we hear about how much is shocker softball using those kind of things. It
Speaker 2 00:02:35 Did sound pretty smart when I said it. Um, <laugh> we are, we do have some technology and we, we do use it. Um, we have not used it a ton down there yet, but they're able to see the flight of their ball because sometimes in the cage you hit a ball and you think you hit it really well, but it's a cage bomb. It goes off the, the top or the back pretty hard. But in, in the real, you know, if you're hitting on the field, it might fizzle in the center field or so, so, um, we do talk about spin and um, contact points and whether you actually hit it hard or you think you hit it hard a lot down there, but we are incorporating some technology just that came out a little bit smarter than it
Speaker 1 00:03:12 Probably should've. Well, it did sound really smart as softball. You know, this seems like now it's just a given in baseball is softball big picture on the same rate as baseball did baseball adopt it sooner than softball?
Speaker 2 00:03:25 I think a lot of that technology stuff did start with baseball, but it's really becoming popular in softball. And a lot of big programs are getting the big time technology to, to put up during games and, and give that data, you know, the, the exit velocity, the, the launch angle, the projected distance, they're putting all that stuff out. Um, you know, some of the bigger programs do a lot of that. Um, we would like to get to that point. Um, but you know, we have hitters too that like Sid McKinney may not hit it as hard as Lolo, but that's okay. It worked out fine for her. So there's lots of gives and takes. We, you know, I always tell 'em the, the harder they hit the ball, the less likely it is that somebody will step in front of it and catch it. So it's, it's beneficial. Um, but not necessary every time.
Speaker 1 00:04:08 Okay. You've been here six seasons, the last three or four been, you know, with the NCAA appearances, we call this the best run in shock or softball history. So kind of big picture how's that changed things as far as local attention on, on shock or softball, do you hear more, you know, do you hear more comments maybe in the grocery store, things like that, how would you quantify maybe how things have, have changed,
Speaker 2 00:04:30 You know, locally, it seems like we're more recognizable I think. And you know, for us, I usually leave here when I go to the grocery store and I'm wearing my softball gear. And so that catches somebody's attention. And then, um, they talk about a little bit, or they've seen it on social media and cuz our girls are doing a great job of using their platform for, for positive posts and all that. So, um, it does seem like we're a little bit more recognizable. I think, you know, now that I've been here for six years and my family's been here for six years, we know a lot more people, our kids are at daycare in school, so our we're reaching a few more. So then we get more fans and then they talk about it and they tell their other teachers. And so it becomes kind of a, a new network of people that start getting excited about it.
Speaker 2 00:05:12 So kind of tapping into maybe a new, um, group of people that haven't otherwise thought about softball. Um, you know, I was hoping, and I think our coaching staff as a whole was hoping that it would really impact recruiting. And I think it is it's we wanted it to be immediate. Um, as far as going to back to back regionals and then getting the attention from bigger recruits, we were hoping it would take, you know, immediate and make an immediate impact. And I think it will eventually, it just hasn't had the, the quick, um, onset that we wanted. Uh, I think our new bating cages are a big deal. Um, I think the investment, the athletic departments is showing into our facility in general is going to make a big impact on recruiting. Um, but yeah, when it comes to local people, they all wanna come out and watch a game. My chiropractor this morning wanted to know our fall schedule. Um, so he'd come out, watch. He thinks it's a blast. So
Speaker 1 00:06:03 It is, it is a good, it is a good game. I, I think that's definitely, I was gonna ask about recruiting because I think that's everybody, a lot of people, myself included just assume, all right, well, you had this success and everybody around here thinks it's fun and thinks why would you not wanna be a part of this, but recruiting probably works differently. Do you think about it as alright, five years ago, we were in a, we were involved in a pool of say a hundred kids and maybe we got one or two of the top 20, and now it's not any easier. Coach is never like that word, easier recruiting, but now we can get maybe three or four of our top 20. And instead of maybe taking, uh, you know, maybe a project out of the bottom of that list, we're, you know, we're, we're trending toward more of our kind of kids. Is that a way to think about it or explain it?
Speaker 2 00:06:53 Yeah, I, I mean at times I think, you know, I think our coaching staff does an amazing job of developing talent. So we're, yes, we're getting some looks from the kids that are higher on our list, um, than we had five, six years ago, but recruiting becomes harder because now we ha like we have to replace in McKinney and Lolo and Zoe Jones. And that's different than replacing maybe three seniors from seven years ago. So the level of talent, you'd always like to make improvements when you bring in a new player or at least see the potential in, you know, their ceiling being higher than those that are graduating, which is hard in some instances. Well, I mean, you know, some of our players are, it's gonna be tough to replace SI McKinney, but everybody in America would have a tough time replacing her. So we're not, we're not alone in that, but you know, our coaching staff really, um, digs in and develops talent.
Speaker 2 00:07:50 So I think our recruiting focus has become, um, more on kids that have been in winning programs that know that have that kind of competitive edge that, that hate losing, but that also want to dig in, roll up their sleeves and get better. So we've gotta we're, you know, and I explained to the recruits when we're on the phone now, cuz September 1st has passed. So we can talk to juniors. Uh, now, so 20, 24 graduates and we try to explain to them that we're looking at a six year window, that by the time they get to college, they'll have two more years of high school club ball to improve. And then when they're freshmen, we would like them to continue to get better their entire career. So from now, until then we're looking at six years. And so our coaching staff is projecting. How good can you be in six years?
Speaker 2 00:08:36 Which is really hard to think about when you don't know them, as well as you want to, you don't know their work ethic, you don't know their dedication. Are they a student of the game? Do they have the physical capability to get better in six years? So it's recruiting is very challenging, um, for, for that reason. And then, you know, the people that we're competing against, we're continuing to fight for recruits with Oklahoma state, Missouri KU, um, sometimes Missouri state north Texas is kind of jumping in as they're joining our conference here. The next couple years, we find ourselves fighting over the same kids with them. So it becomes a little bit of a dog fight, you know, and then we have to step outside the box and say, okay, what, what fits our program? How can we develop these kids to turn them into what we will need in four to six years? So it's a little bit of, um, you have to really have a crystal ball.
Speaker 1 00:09:31 This is similar to when baseball was coming up in the seventies and the eighties. I think in that there's this super competitive little pod of schools in this area. Oklahoma is obviously awesome. Oklahoma state is very good. Um, Missouri, Arkansas and Wichita state is very much part of that. You play them in the non-conference, you play 'em home and home. You're gonna run into each other in regionals all the time. How does that help telling and recruit look what we're a part of look who you're going to play with and, and against, we're kind of in this little, this little group here in this area. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:10:03 Recruits love that when you, the first, the American conferences is pretty competitive softball wise or has been in the past. Um, and then when you, you know, tell 'em how close we are to the Nebraska's Arkansas Arkansas's Kus, Missouri's Oklahoma state, we're gonna play a tough non-conference schedule and kids love to go and be the underdog and go to, to big places that are gonna have big crowds and, and be, and, and upset them. Um, and I think a lot of the kids that we will play against on these other teams are friends or former teammates of our current roster. So then it gets a little, um, more competitive that they, you know, they want to take it, take it out on. So, and so who chose this school over us and then it gets, it gets pretty intense and it creates some, some fun rivalries. Um, but yeah, our non-conference schedule is, well, especially this coming year is going to prep us for conference in a big way.
Speaker 1 00:10:57 Fall practices started earlier this month. Give us some big picture thoughts. What do the shoppers want to get accomplished?
Speaker 2 00:11:04 Yeah, I, I think our practice has been really good so far. We've had, um, I think as soon as school started and, and everybody got, um, got kind of settled in and was able to come out and, and get some reps and get in the weight room and kind of get settled before practice started, we had the most interest of any team that I've seen in my six falls. Um, meaning there are more returners that came out and did stuff on their own and just were ready to kind of itching to get after it. And really are freshmen this year. Typically freshmen come in, they're a little tentative. They're not sure, you know, can I do this am, am I gonna step on any toes? You know, they're kind of trying to figure out, find their way in just about everything. Um, and this freshman class didn't hesitate as much as classes in the past of jumping in and being vocal and coming out and doing extra reps and being kind of jumping right in the mix of things and making themselves mesh immediately.
Speaker 2 00:12:00 Um, and that goes for, um, our transfer as well from, uh, Lauren health and Arkansas. She jumped right in and it feels like she's been here the whole time. So I think the immediate cohesiveness of the team was, uh, really obvious for some of us. And that was fun to watch the kids come in right away, run through the office, say hi, going out, gonna take some swings and just didn't this. They couldn't wait to get back, which I think is a, I mean, fun coming off of a great season, but also really exciting knowing that we returned a big chunk of our squad from last year and they know what it takes to compete at a high level. So they're, they're out doing the stuff the freshmen have bought in right away. So we shouldn't really skip a beat. Um, now we might take some lumps in the fall. Our fall schedule is tougher than it has been in the past. And that's by design coach B you know, wants to see what, how we stack up against. So home state, KU, Missouri, um, because that's the reality for us in the spring. We need to see how we can handle big time competition and really strong pitching from the opponent. So we're gonna throw ourselves right in the fire and, and give us a good list of things that we're gonna need to improve upon before February.
Speaker 1 00:13:08 So six years, top seven hitters or backs. So you've got a lot of experience, uh, hit us with some of the newcomers who are, are making a good impression of this early date.
Speaker 2 00:13:17 Yeah, I mean, on the hitting side, um, everybody's kind of jumped in, I would say Taylor Solak from Nebraska. She was at Bennington high school, she's power right-handed hitter, kind of a utility. She played shortstop, she played the infield. She's been playing some outfield for us. Um, really good understanding of hitting mechanics and approach, um, and really strong in the weight room gets after it. She's, she's, uh, kind of caught everybody's attention with her desire to work hard, um, hits the ball really hard, really strong. Um, kid Sammy hood is from Allen, Texas, another right handed hitter really smooth, played for the American freedom organization out of Texas, which is pretty solid. Um, lots of potential in her bat, uh, hits hits for power. Um,
Speaker 1 00:14:05 And she is the, she hit the record home runs in the Dallas area, something
Speaker 2 00:14:10 Like that. Yeah, I think 20 or 21, I mean, pretty, um, highly, um, recruited athlete, plays, shortstop really good, uh, glove work, you know, reminds for those of us that remember Kaylee Hecker reminds us a lot of Kaylee Hecker on defense, which is really exciting. Wow. That's if, uh, yeah, and, and we'll see, we've got a lot of time here, but some of the stuff that she does with her glove and her arm, we have to double take and go, man, that looks just like her. So that's a, that's definitely a, a, a perk for, for us cuz we all know how well she did for us on defense. Um, Sierra stra is another middle infielder from, uh, Overland park, Shawnee mission, uh, north, maybe high school. Um, she, she can play short, she can play second. She's, uh, kind of sneaky fast hits from the left side.
Speaker 2 00:14:59 Um, more gap to gap right now. I think she's really buying in, in the weight room and Colin's, uh, Colin, our strength coach is excited about her. Um, being able to add some pop from the left side and then CE Fleming, another left handed bat, she's from the Chicago area. Um, really athletic, really strong put together. Well, um, another utility can catch, can play outfield, um, could probably play the infield as well. Um, five foot 7, 5, 9, like a big athletic, um, really excited about learning, um, kind of raw, but wants to jump in and wants to learn like, is this fun right now? Which is really exciting. So, um, she's looking good. Um, always on the spot, I know I'm gonna forget somebody. Um, Sarah Protz is a picture. I would be lying if I could speak to that too much.
Speaker 1 00:15:50 We won't ask you too much about
Speaker 2 00:15:52 Pitching lefty. Doesn't hit, um, for us. So I talked to her a little bit about, um, being lefthanded, uh, and then Alex Aguilar, another picture from Texas also does not hit, but has been, they've both done well in our, um, inter squad scrimmages so far. Um, and I think are gonna be good additions. And then Lauren Hall, we picked up from Arkansas she's from Jefferson city in Missouri. We knew her out of high school and um, watched her as a club club player. And she, I think she'll be a really big addition for us.
Speaker 1 00:16:21 Yeah. I think people will be curious about her. Uh, she played two years at Arkansas now, now Wichita state. What kind of impression does she meet made? How would you describe her as a, as a pitcher?
Speaker 2 00:16:30 Um, she doesn't mess around she's in our two inner squads has been very efficient, goes right after people gets 'em to put the ball in play has multiple different pitches that she can get you out with, um, and throws a couple different speeds, which is the key for really annoying and offense. So, um, I think her maturity and her experience will give us cuz otherwise we're pretty young in the circle. So she adds the, the only upperclassmen I think, in the, in the pitching staff. So, um, her experience and her ability to really kind of command what she's good at has been, um, nice to have thrown in the mix. So we add her with ally Cooper, um, Mackenzie S chauffer who return and you know, we've got a lot of different looks, but Lauren's been a, a really great ad for us. And I think feels really comfortable with our team and is, is really happy about the, the move she made.
Speaker 1 00:17:21 Have you talked to Lauren about central dairy, the famous ice cream place in Jeff's city?
Speaker 2 00:17:26 I have not, but I am familiar with central dairy and used to take my pit team there all the time. We would go play Lincoln. Yeah. Oh yeah. Link. We would, that was the main attraction after the game. Doesn't matter what time, as long as it was open, we were going.
Speaker 1 00:17:39 That is good stuff. I've been, I've been to central dairy. I know it is a Jeff city landmark mm-hmm <affirmative> so she's gotta be familiar with it. Mm-hmm <affirmative> uh, I'll ask about first base because you lost Neely herring three year starter, two time, all conference picked, hit a lot of home runs. Uh what's first base look like for the
Speaker 2 00:17:53 Shiners. You know, it's kind of a toss up right now and, and you know, our, our line of we built around offense, um, as it always has been, but we've got some options over there. Um, cam Compton's back. Um, she's had some first base experience in the past. Zoe Jones played first, a little bit of Texas tech before she got here. So she can do that. Um, Kristen, Nelson's been taking some reps over there. Um, she's good on the corners and we've added Caroline talent to the mix, um, because she's very capable and actually Caroline's offensive. Um, her work that she's put in on the offensive side is taken off in a big way. So we're, we're putting her in different positions to see what fits, you know, what makes the puzzle look the best. But I think we've got four options over there right now that we'll probably try a little combination of that all fall. Um, obviously some having more experience in other camps can have the most experience, uh, Zoe after that. And then Kristen and Caroline will, might take them a little bit longer to get the hang of it, but they're both smart. So I like her, I like her options over there.
Speaker 1 00:18:52 So you mentioned development earlier, uh, I would guess maybe Jess Garcia kind of fits that profile. She hit 2 42 as a freshman last year bumped up to 3 26. She really gets on base. Uh, well walks a lot. She was second team all conference last year, playing third plan catcher. Uh, what's next for her as a, as a junior.
Speaker 2 00:19:11 Yeah, I think same thing kind of mixing behind the plate in third base. I think she has a really good, um, understanding of what, how her swing is built and what area she needs to improve upon to kind of bump up to that, to that next label level, to make her, um, more competitive against maybe pitches that she doesn't necessarily love at this point, but she knows what she has to do, um, to get to that point. But she's a tough out and she's, you know, she's not real big, but she hits her power. She does have a knack for getting on base. Um, so I, we would look for her that same can, you know, same consistent, offensive approach and maybe just bounce around defensively. It's, you know, anybody that's got a good bat, it's gonna be a tall order to win the DP spot cuz that's Lolo's, you know, she's, Lolo's kind of the anchor of that.
Speaker 2 00:19:55 She's been crushing the ball this fall. So Jess is gonna have to really get, get into a groove at third or behind the plate to make sure she gets the bats. Um, which I think she will cause she loves, she loves hitting so much. She'll find a way to, to get in the lineup. Um, but yeah, we look for that a little bit. Third base is similar to first base and that we have a few kids that we're gonna, we're gonna try over there. Um, Jess being one Kristen Nelson, so we can play third. Um, Taylor Solak could play third. Um, Sarah hoaxster might be able to play third. I mean, we've got quite a few kids that could take some reps at third, so we'll do some, some rotating food, fall games, just like first over there to see who's the best fit. But you know, Jess has got a lot of experience over there. She's been she's she's done that a little bit for us. Um, in the past, I don't think we'll see her in the outfield again. We tried that as when she was a freshman that didn't, uh, it's not her cup of tea, so we'll keep her corners in behind the plate.
Speaker 1 00:20:47 So you've got Sydney, McKinney, shortstop, and Addison Barnard in the outfield. People are gonna be familiar with those names. So as a coaching staff, how do you challenge people like that? How do you keep it fresh? And I guess maybe that applies more to Sydney. Who's been here for five years now has seen it all. Both of them are, are really, really good. How do you keep pushing them?
Speaker 2 00:21:07 I, well, I think it's, you know, bringing in, uh, kids like, you know, Lauren Lucas who had an outstanding year last year and you know, you put Addie B and, and Lauren Lucas in the, you know, in center field and you let, 'em duke it out a little bit and that's, you know, that's pretty fun and they're obviously a right handed in the lefthanded option. Um, and they're both, they're both gonna play. It's just a matter of where. Um, but you know, for Sid we brought in, um, Sammy hoods of shortstops Taylor Sage check was a short stops. Sarah hoaxster, it's been a shortstop, we've brought in a lot of middle infielders that, um, you know, you bring in and think that at some point they will take on the, the role when Sid graduates, um, or make her continue to get better. Sid doesn't need a lot of, um, external motivation to continue to get better.
Speaker 2 00:21:52 She's really takes a lot of pride in the works that she does. So she's, we never worry about her getting complacent at all. Um, it's been really fun to watch her teach the young ones and really kind of just say, Hey, think about it this way. Or, um, kind of take them under her wing and, and show 'em the way. And that's been, I know some of the freshman shortstop are looking at her like, she's please tell me everything, you know, before you leave, you know, I gotta take it all in because you've obviously done this at a very high level and you had a lot of success. So I want to know what you know, um, and Sid takes a lot of pride in that and, and her ability to be a leader, um, on and off the field. And she does the right thing and it's really fun to watch from the outside and kind of, you know, proud coach moment where you know, that she's doing all the right things for all the right reasons and our kids are paying attention. So we don't worry about her slacking off. She's gonna continue to get better, um, whether everybody's watching or not. Um, and I think the young ones are watching right now, which is, is a big key in their development.
Speaker 1 00:22:52 So Sydney also seems to be stretching her social media wings or legs lately. She's making some funny videos. She made one, I think it was her. She interviewed a bunch of teammates or got a bunch of teammates to do their impressions of, of you, of coach E yes. Rate the video for accuracy. How, how on target? Was it
Speaker 2 00:23:11 12 outta 10? It was spot on. It was very good. <laugh> to the, to the running form at the end was pretty, um, precise. I loved it. It was, I watched it over and over and over again, just left. And I think, you know, for me, I have to be able left myself and they made it pretty easy. So, um, but yeah, that's, it could, that video could have been a lot longer cuz there's a lot of things that I say on a daily basis and I'm glad they kept it, kept it short. Um, they're, you know, at some point there may be, uh, round two of that. I'm sure they've got plenty of ammo stored
Speaker 1 00:23:43 Up. Did you know they were doing it?
Speaker 2 00:23:44 I, I didn't know beforehand, but they kept coming to my office and taking my bucket hat, my sunglasses and be like, I I'll be right back with this. So then I figured it out was there, I didn't know why it's not, it wasn't my birthday or I don't know, but it was, it was awesome. I loved it.
Speaker 1 00:23:59 Was there one of the impressions that you enjoyed the most
Speaker 2 00:24:03 <laugh> um, you know, uh, no, all of, I loved them all. <laugh> the running really? I thought the video was over and then when Jessica Garcia took off running into the outfield, I that, that put, that was a cherry on top for me, put me over the edge. But yeah, I definitely have said all of those things this week. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:24:20 Were they of 'em where you thought? I didn't know. I, I did that or I didn't know they were paying attention.
Speaker 2 00:24:24 Yeah. I was happy to know they were listening. <laugh> cause I do, um, oftentimes try to be optimistic, um, while also teaching or uh, give some type of comedy that maybe it'll stick in their head a little bit. Cuz you know it's a game background.
Speaker 1 00:24:39 Yeah, that was, that was very entertaining. Yeah. I loved it. Thank you, Elizabeth.
Speaker 2 00:24:42 Hey, thank you. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 3 00:24:56 Hi, this is Rick MIMA, president of Wichita state university. Check out the latest episode of the forward together podcast. Each episode, I sit down with different guests from shocker nation to celebrate the vision and mission of Wichita state university. Listen, wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 4 00:25:24 Thank you for listening to the roundhouse podcast, courtesy of Wichita state university's strategic communications. We appreciate your time. We encourage you to rate reviews, subscribe wherever you get your podcast, such as on iTunes or Google play. You can find more roundhouse
[email protected]. Thank you for listening
Speaker 5 00:25:46 And they let him pass it up court. And then he gets picked off along three by Pango. No good. One second. It's over it. Wichita state has beaten the number one team in the nation to go the sweet go. Crazy Wichita. I know you.
