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The 2019 season will be University of Detroit Mercy Coach John Conway’s final season with the Titan Softball program. Conway recently announced his intentions to retire at the conclusion of his fifth season as head coach in Motown.

Conway took over the program at Detroit Mercy before the 2015 season, and through his fifth campaign has amassed 74 victories while helping start the turn of a program that had seen little success in recent years. Conway had seen win improvements in each of his first three seasons with the Titans. During his time he has also produced numerous All-Horizon League Honorees over his five seasons.

Conway reflected on his time and felt fortunate to have had coaching career that spanned 25 years counting his time on the Elite Club Level

“I have been so fortunate to begin my career coaching as a club coach and then to transition into being an NCAA coach for the past 17 years.”, Conway commented. “I never imagined starting as a part-time Division III coach at Fontbonne University to then coach at the Division I and II levels. I have had so many wonderful experiences with all these young ladies who I have been fortunate to hopefully give them an enjoyable four year career each stop.” Conway went on to thank his family. “I want to thank my daughter Nicole for bringing me into this career by asking me to play catch with me as a five-year-old and then going on to play for me in club ball as well in college. Most of all my wife Kathy for putting up with me these past 17 years and always acting as a consultant in all I did.” Conway went on to say his time coaching might not be completely over just yet. “I plan to stay involved somehow with softball but no longer as a head coach.”

Conway also had stops as head coach at Saint Leo University, Saint Louis University, and the aforementioned Fontbonne University before coming to Detroit.

UDM currently sits 15-21 on the season and 7-5 in the Horizon League good for fourth place in the standings with 12 conference games remaining.

This week On Deck we sit down with the first year head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks, Jennifer McFalls. Coach McFalls comes to Lawrence after serving on the coaching staff at the University of Texas since 2010. McFalls helped the Longhorns to the NCAA Postseason in each of her eight seasons in Austin including a berth in the Super Regionals in 2012 and appearance in the Women’s College World Series in 2013. While serving at Texas she also spent her 2015 offseason as head coach of professional softball’s Dallas Charge. McFalls was an All-American standout and Hall of Fame Inductee at Texas A&M. After her time with the Aggies she joined the U.S. National Team and won a Gold Medal in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. McFalls also had coaching stops at her Alma mater Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and stops at Hockaday and Midlothian High Schools. From 2005-2010 she also served on the USA Softball Selection Committee.

Lee Dobbins: Coach McFalls you took over a program at Kansas that hasn’t had a lot of sustained success in the Big 12 and on the national level. What are going to be the keys for you and your staff to change that from an on-field aspect and culturally?

Jennifer McFalls: Our goal is to be more prepared as we enter conference play.  With that being said, we will play a tough pre-season schedule that will allow us to face strong pitching and top ranked teams.

Dobbins: Being as familiar as you are with the Big 12 having served on coaching staffs at Oklahoma and Texas; What has it it been like the last six months since taking your first head coaching job and how has that transition been for you? Has familiarity to Big 12 made it easier for you? Or has it been more challenging compared to being at league juggernauts like Texas and Oklahoma?

McFalls:  Being familiar with the Big XII is certainly helpful in a lot of ways.  First of all, I understand the level of competition we will face, the opposing coaching philosophies, and the tough environments our team will play in.  My goal is to prepare us both physically and mentally to face some of the best teams in the country that our in our conference.  If we can be competitive enough to finish in the top half of the Big XII, I believe that will give us an opportunity to get to post season play.

Dobbins: Over the last few years recruiting has been a major topic of conversation particularly when it comes to the average (young) age that Prospective Student Athletes are being recruited and making verbal commitments to programs. Legislation has now been initiated restricting contact/offers to PSAs until the start of their junior years in high school. Talk a bit about that change in the recruiting dynamic since that legislation has been adopted. Has it slowed the process and made balancing recruiting better? Has the legislation been effective in curving earlier recruiting in any way?

McFalls: I am personally in favor of the rule changes for recruiting.  It will allow coaches to make better decisions on a student-athlete based on their physical talent and academic status.  I definitely think the new rules will help slow down the recruiting process for sure and take away a lot of third party involvement.  There was so much pressure on kids to commit as 8^th and 9^th graders and they truly have not even had time to develop into great players.  Coaches were projecting their talent level simply based on athleticism and size.  Athletes need to learn the game of softball, not just play.  I think the early recruiting rules will help athletes focus on developing more, specifically in position play, knowledge of the game, and making long term commitments to programs. 

Dobbins: I recently heard a phrase directly referenced to collegiate softball; “The era of the free agent has begun.” This seemingly is referencing the latest NCAA Transfer Legislation that eliminates the permission-to-contact process. The transfer rates in the last five years had seemingly already been at an all-time high. Recently however, it seems the flood gates have opened directly connected with this legislation. What are your thoughts on this legislation and its effect on the collegiate game?

McFalls:  I hate the fact that athletes have the freedom to up and leave a program just because they are unhappy with playing time, coaching decisions, or simply not getting their way.  Whatever happened to the word COMMITMENT?  It is way too easy for players to quit or transfer just because things get hard.  Leaving programs midyear is absolutely unacceptable in my opinion.  It puts coaches and programs in a really difficult position as they are trying to prepare for the upcoming season. I believe that the way the rules are currently, it opens the door for a number of unethical conversations and tampering that effects athletes transferring. I am hopeful that the NCAA will put an end to mid-year transfers.

Dobbins: Softball (Collegiate Game particularly) has boomed in popularity in the last 10 years and this seems to be based on its visibility on different media outlets (TV, online, Social Media, etc.). How has that dynamic of visibility has changed the way the game is played and how you run your program? What is the next progression of promotion of the game/advancement would you like to see as a Head Coach? 

McFalls: I think that it is amazing that we can see the game of softball as much as we can on TV and multiple social media outlets.  I think it has impacted so many young players and their interest and love for the game.  In addition, it is incredible that family and friends can follow games on social media even when they are not televised.  I do believe it has impacted programs and media relations to promote teams any way possible on the social media platform.  I think that it becomes ridiculously competitive at times between programs to solicit their teams, but definitely a positive avenue to continue to promote our sport and the amazing athletes that we have playing our game.  In addition, it has opened several doors for former players to pursue their career in commentating and promoting our sport.  It is awesome to see women promoting women and creating new career avenues for female athletes because of the success of fastpitch softball.

RTS has learned from sources close to the process that the NCAA has awarded the 2020 Division II Softball Championship to Chattanooga, Tennessee. The event originally scheduled to take place as part of the NCAA Division II Championship Sports Festival in St. Louis, was relocated due to scheduling concerns on length of the season with the spring softball calendar and general scheduling for teams in the 2020 season. The championship will run May 21-25 and utilize the 3,000 seat Jim Frost Stadium and adjacent Warner Park Complex.

This week On Deck we sit down with the head coach of Division I’s newest program, Bill Baber. Baber is starting his ninth season as head coach at California Baptist University after serving as an assistant coach with the program before his elevation to the Captains Seat in 2011. Baber has been with California Baptist through their transition from NAIA, though DII, to the current level at DI. He served on the CBU Staff through eight straight Golden State Athletic Conference Championships, with the highlight of that run coming in the form of the 2009 NAIA National Championship. As the head coach he has amassed an overall record of 320-128, five straight NCAA Regional appearances (2014-18), and an NCCAA National Championship in 2012. Before joining the staff at Cal Baptist he served one season as the head coach at Biola University. 

Lee Dobbins: Coach Baber you are going into your first season of Division I competition and very much in a big transition at Cal Baptist. You are a coach that has been part of a program as either an assistant and now head coach that has made a meteoric rise from NAIA, to DII, to now DI. Talk a little about that transition and the challenges of doing so. What have you done as a head coach to prepare the program to make their debut in the highest level of softball?

Bill Baber: It has been a pretty quick transition from being in the NAIA and then only being in DII for 7 years. Some of the biggest adjustments have come from the recruiting part. Going from NAIA which doesn’t have a lot of recruiting rules, to NCAA DII that has a lot of rules, and now DI that has even more restrictions on when you can go watch and talk to recruits. Playing in the highest level, we have tried this year to play some tough teams and go to places that would be much different than in DII. Going to Texas A&M to start the season and to play in such a great stadium and play against DI competition was really eye opening to our players. Our hope was to have a tough schedule so we would be ready for conference play.

Dobbins: With Cal Baptist being located in-the-middle of the greatest concentration of talent in all of softball; What is the key in selling the Southern California talent on staying home and not considering larger programs in-and-out-of-state? Are you finding being the newest DI program is an advantage of drawing recruits, or has it been more of a challenge with some of the programs you are competing for recruits?

Baber: I think there is a lot of local players that want to stay home and go to a private small school, even though we aren’t that small anymore. We have a very nice stadium to play in and with the new construction starting in just a couple of years, our facilities will be one that players will want to play in. We also make sure our players graduate in 4 years. Sometimes that is tough when you are at a larger school. When recruits come to campus and look around, they are always amazed about how nice and beautiful our campus is. Now that we are D1, we are getting more recruits in and out of state coming to see what we have to offer. Before D1 many PSAs thought we were too small and wouldn’t come for a visit.

Dobbins: Over the last few years recruiting has been a major topic of conversation particularly when it comes to the average (young) age that Prospective Student Athletes are being recruited and making verbal commitments to programs. Legislation has now been initiated restricting contact/offers to PSAs until the start of their junior years in high school. Talk a bit about that change in the recruiting dynamic since that legislation has been adopted. Has it slowed the process and made balancing recruiting better? Has the legislation been effective in curving earlier recruiting in any way?

Baber: I think the new legislation and with not being able to talk with a recruit until their junior year is good. I have seen so many players verbal at such an early age in the past and so many of them end up transferring. I think trying to get a freshman, sophomore, or even younger PSA to decide what university is best form them, is just crazy. Hopefully recruits will make better and more educated decisions with waiting until they are older. I think with us, it hasn’t slowed down our recruiting. I have always wanted the PSA to make sure that our university is the right fit for them with softball and their education.

Dobbins: I recently heard a phrase directly referenced to collegiate softball; “The era of the free agent has begun.” This seemingly is referencing the latest NCAA Transfer Legislation that eliminates the permission-to-contact process. The transfer rates in the last five years had seemingly already been at an all-time high. Recently however, it seems the flood gates have opened directly connected with this legislation. What are your thoughts on this legislation and its effect on the collegiate game?

Baber: The Transfer legislation has been pretty crazy this first year. I’m not so sure I am a fan of the NCAA “Portal”. I understand that sometimes there are legitimate reasons to transfer, but with it being so easy to transfer everyone is always looking to go somewhere else and thinking the next place will be better. Many actually find out that the grass is not always greener at the next university. I also feel that some don’t look at the educational part of it and are only looking to move because of softball. Like I mentioned before, PSA’s making a decision on where to go to college when they are very young, don’t always look for the best fit, they are only looking at where to play softball and not the degree they will receive.

Dobbins: There has always been talk of the divide between what is considered a “mid-major” type program and those in the “Power 5”. Although a few mid-majors are very much considered as good as some of the Power 5, many head coaches of the smaller programs have lobbied not to compete against the bigger schools feeling that those schools need the smaller ones more than they need them to achieve win plateaus to achieve postseason eligibility. What are your thoughts on competing against these institutions and that theory? 

Baber: I think with where we are right now and not being able to go to post season for our first 4 years, we need to play some of the Power 5 schools. It’s a great experience for our players to go to places and face the toughest completion a few times during the season. I know our players really look forward to playing a few power 5 schools. I think it would also be great to have a power 5 school come and play us at our place. I know we would have a sell out that day! When we are eligible to go to post season, I think I will still play power 5 schools because if you do win the conference and go to the regionals, you will be playing at a power 5 stadium and I would want my team to have had some experience before the regional tournament.

One person to guide our game might seem very anti-democratic and borderline monarchical. Hear me out though. In the last 24 hours since the revelations of corruption, in-fighting, and other scandalous type behavior and actions brought to light by an Outside the Lines Investigation by ESPN; One independent and impartial voice is what the Sport of Softball needs. It’s become apparent the bureaucrats that currently dictate the direction of our game like USA Softball and NPF and the “Professional”/Travel Ball Franchise Scrap Yard Sports can’t be trusted to do what’s best for the game and the athletes in it. This isn’t just an issue on the Professional or National/Olympic Team levels either. It is now spanning down to  the collegiate game as it has become a more popular and revenue producing sport, and even more distributing to the Travel/Summer/Rec. Ball Levels as the accountant/construction worker/dentist/Walmart Greeter look to make their first “Million” putting together dues paying “organizations” and the next 500 team “Showcase” Event. 

The game has attracted individuals and groups wanting to turn softball into something resembling Corporate America more than the sport we all use to know. One individual to police organizations like USA Softball, NPF, NFCA, PGF, USSSA, the Showcase and Travel Ball Organizations, and the rest of the list of “Power Brokers” in the game too big to list, doesn’t sound as farfetched for these groups to have to answer to one individual independent and vested in what’s best for the game and not a particular group or their financial benefits.

At first it sounds crazy to lay that type of power in one persons hands; However, is it any less crazy to let it lay in hundreds of people’s hands only vested in what is best for them and their particular groups? Our sport yesterday joined (publicly anyway) the long line of sports that have had their eyes blackened not by the athletes that play the game, but those that run it and dictate policy for their own benefits will little thought of how it affects its participants. How far are we willing to let it go before we decide we can’t be trusted with what’s good for the game any longer?

This week On Deck we talk with the head coach at Southeastern Louisiana University, Rick Fremin. Fremin is in his fourth season as head coach at SELU and has compiled a record 0f 103-93 while quickly turning the program around. He has led SELU from a team at the bottom of the Southland Conference in 2016, all the way to a second place finish in 2018. Fremin took over the program in the summer of 2015 after spending the previous five seasons at Jackson State University where he compiled an outstanding SWAC record of 67-16 in route to winning three East Division Championships. In his first season at JSU he also led the program to an NCAA Regional Appearance. Before his stint at JSU he served as head coach at his Alma Mater Belhaven University where he compiled a 186-95 record while making the programs first NAIA National Tournament appearance in 2010. Fremin also had coaching stops as an assistant at Millsaps College and head coach at Belle Chase High School. 

Lee Dobbins: Coach Fremin you took over a program at Southeastern Louisiana that had not seen a lot of success as of late before your arrival. You have consistently made strides in each of your four years, making the biggest jump last year with 38 wins. What have been the keys in turning the program around and changing the culture of the program to see the success it is now?

Rick Fremin: It has been a process because my first year we finished 12th, my second year we finished 6th, and this past season we finished 2nd. I told administration on the interview that I was coming here to do what’s never been done before. We have been blessed with the highest academic GPA (3.4) in program history, highest community service hours, and highest finish in conference. It has been so important to find players that are passionate about the game and willing to develop has been so key. We have also completed several projects such as- painting the facility, new cages, chair-back seats, turf infield, new outfield fence, installed 10 bull-pens, new pitching machines, and LED lighting. I have tried my best to put an aggressive team on the field from day 1 and as a result I believe that has helped tremendously in so many areas, such as recruiting. Some of our teams have broken school records and others have led the NCAA in several statistical categories. 

Dobbins: Having already been a head coach at a “mid-major” type institution before coming to SELU; what do you find is the biggest challenges to winning and winning consistently at that level? What are the strategies you use in drawing the better athletes to a mid-major to make that happen?   

Fremin: Well I think everyone is better now, then say 10 years ago. Athletic Departments have invested in the sport and made good hires to where a lot of programs across the country are in a good position. Wins are harder to come by. You have to take every game with a professional mindset, because if you don’t this game will humble you. I typically try to find athletes that are a good fit for our program. I do my best to convey to the athletes that I will try to get them to play at the highest level possible. I really enjoy when they accomplish goals that they never imagined. 

Dobbins: Over the last few years recruiting has been a major topic of conversation particularly when it comes to the average (young) age that Prospective Student Athletes are being recruited and making verbal commitments to programs. Legislation has now been initiated restricting contact/offers to PSAs until the start of their junior years in high school. Talk a bit about that change in the recruiting dynamic since that legislation has been adopted. Has it slowed the process and made balancing recruiting better? Has the legislation been effective in curving earlier recruiting in any way?

Fremin: I do feel it has changed. I think that it has slowed some things down. We did a lot of work prior to the new rule, so we are not being effected just yet by the changes. I do believe a lot of programs, including us, will feel these changes in the next two years after some of the early verbals dwindle down. I think the legislation has been somewhat effective, however I did not vote in favor of the new legislation. I am against any rule that “restricts”.

Dobbins: I recently heard a phrase directly referenced to collegiate softball; “The era of the free agent has begun.” This seemingly is referencing the latest NCAA Transfer Legislation that eliminates the permission-to-contact process. The transfer rates in the last five years had seemingly already been at an all-time high. Recently however, it seems the flood gates have opened directly connected with this legislation. What are your thoughts on this legislation and its effect on the collegiate game?

Fremin: I preferred the old legislation. I also feel there is now a lack of commitment on both sides, players and coaches. As result the game is effected in numerous ways. Ex- a program loses it “top player” to another program and that program who helped develop the player feels the impact the following season of that player leaving.

Dobbins: Softball (Collegiate Game particularly) has boomed in popularity in the last 10 years and this seems to be based on its visibility on different media outlets (TV, online, Social Media, etc.). How has that dynamic of visibility has changed the way the game is played and how you run your program? What is the next progression of promotion of the game/advancement would you like to see as a Head Coach?

Fremin: Media has definitely helped grow the game tremendously over the last 10 years and I am grateful for that. I would like to see the promotion of the sport focus on the fundamentals particularly at the lower levels. I think the fundamentals are getting lost in the times of “See you Saturday, we have a jersey for you”. I think players are just showing up to parks in all age groups and just playing. In my opinion very few players are being taught the fundamentals of the game. We as college coaches can promote and help with that so that we all continue to enjoy the great game of softball!

This week On Deck we talk with first year head coach of Fordham University, Melissa Inouye. Inouye takes charge of the Rams after the 17 year run of former coach Bridget Orchard came to an end after she accepted the head coaching position at Villanova. Inouye comes to Fordham after spending the past six seasons as head coach at Iona where she was twice names MAAC Coach of the Year. She accepted the position at Iona after serving as an assistant coach at Fordham in 2012. Prior to her one-year stint on the coaching staff at Fordham, Inouye worked on coaching staffs at Southern Mississippi, Kentucky, Northwestern State, and her Alma mater UNLV where she was also Team Captain during her playing days.

Lee Dobbins: Coach Inouye you have taken over a program that has seen much success nationally for 17 seasons under the former regime. You had also worked under that regime as an assistant coach as part of the program before. Are you doing anything to bring your own vision and culture to the program? If so what adjustments are you making or feel needed to be made? Or are you staying with what has made Fordham Softball, Fordham Softball the last 17 years?

Melissa Inouye: I had the pleasure of working with Coach Bridget Orchard in 2011-2012 and witnessed firsthand all the hard work that she put in to building Fordham Softball into a consistent nationally competitive and successful program. She did a tremendous job instilling a competitive winning culture and recruited hard nose type of player’s predominately from the northeast. I am honored and humbled that Coach Orchard recommended me for the position to the Fordham administration and I will work very hard to build upon the great foundation that’s here. I definitely want to maintain having a competitive preseason schedule that travels nationally as its great preparation for the season, good exposure for our program and University and it helps with recruiting. I also want to uphold the competitiveness, success and legacy of Fordham Softball as there is great pride being a part of this softball RAMily. As far as adjustments, I am more of a defensive coach and so I want us to be stronger defensively. Everything starts and ends in the circle and as the clique goes “defense wins’ championships,” thus, my coaching staff and I are looking to build a strong pitching staff and a deeper roster in all positions. 

Dobbins: Having already been a head coach at a “mid-major” type institution before coming to Fordham; what do you find the biggest challenge is to winning and winning consistently as a program like Fordham has at that mid-major level?   

Inouye: The biggest challenges to winning consistently comes down to a few things:

1)    Recruiting the right student-athletes who fit the school, softball program and coaching style – I believe you have to recruit at least 2 program changer type players every 4 years (hopefully 1 of them being a pitcher J )

2)    Developing the players 

3)    Challenging the players with a competitive schedule and allowing them to learn through the ups and downs of a season

4)    Motivation – being creative and always finding ways to continually motivate the players

5)    Adapting – as a coach you have to be willing to adapt to each team and the personnel as well as the journey through the season is different each year

6)    Resources – resources have to align with expectations of the program

Dobbins: Over the last few years recruiting has been a major topic of conversation particularly when it comes to the average (young) age that Prospective Student Athletes are being recruited and making verbal commitments to programs. Legislation has now been initiated restricting contact/offers to PSAs until the start of their junior years in high school. Talk a bit about that change in the recruiting dynamic since that legislation has been adopted. Has it slowed the process and made balancing recruiting better? Has the legislation been effective in curving earlier recruiting in any way?

Inouye: Honestly it was difficult for college coaches to not only prepare and focus on their current teams, but also communicating and working on their future teams by keeping up with “recruiting lists” that ranged over a 3-6 year period. I personally like that the softball recruiting process has slowed down some over the last year or so, as I think its forced more prospects and their families to do more thorough research on the schools and programs before making a commitment. And it has allowed college coaches a little more time to further evaluate prospects athletically by watching them play more in games, camps/clinics, workouts, but more importantly academically and socially. I also think that some players grow into their bodies and develop later, thus, their true softball skills and athleticism might not totally display itself until their junior year, etc.

Dobbins: Many recruits when choosing their academic and athletic paths look closely at the overall campus experience that comes along with that choice. How does a campus like Fordham located in Metropolitan New York City sale itself separate from the prototypical “College Town”? What are the pros that you sell to recruits to make them want to choose to be a Fordham Ram and come to a metropolitan campus? 

Inouye: First of all, the beauty of the Fordham University campus sells itself as it’s honestly the nicest college campus I’ve worked at in my coaching career. Based on the architectural buildings and the many green spots on campus, especially Eddie’s Parade (big green open field in the middle of campus), you can’t even tell that you’re in the middle of the Bronx in New York City. New York City is one of the biggest and most diverse cities in the world, which is exciting for many recruits as there are endless opportunities and experiences within 15 minutes of campus. I truly believe that Fordham University offers these four things:

1)    A quality education

2)    Competitive and successful Division I softball program

3)    Cultural and diverse experiences as a campus located in New York City

4)    Networking and alumni relations

Dobbins: I recently heard a phrase directly referenced to collegiate softball; “The era of the free agent has begun.” This seemingly is referencing the latest NCAA Transfer Legislation that eliminates the permission-to-contact process. The transfer rates in the last five years had seemingly already been at an all-time high. Recently however, it seems the floodgates have opened directly connected with this legislation. What are your thoughts on this legislation and its effect on the collegiate game?

Inouye: I think the higher transfer rates are related to the early recruiting “rat race” and plethora of head coaching changes that have occurred over the last five years or so. For some prospects, they probably weren’t ready to make an informed decision as they possibly got caught up in the recruiting race regarding scholarship offers, social media recognition, etc. And when they got to that school, now all of a sudden it’s not the right fit academically, athletically, socially, location, coaching staff, etc. The transfer portal definitely has its pros and cons for sure as it can be an easier way to find potential transfers that could help a program fill a void caused by injuries, academics, transfers, etc. But it can also be distracting for a program if it’s several players looking to transfer from the same school. I think it’s going to take a few years to truly see the effect the transfer portal has on the collegiate game. 

This week On Deck we talk with the newest head coach in the SEC, Larissa Anderson. Anderson takes over a program at the University of Missouri very much in transition. Anderson is the third coach to helm the Tigers in the last year. Anderson comes to Columbia after spending the last 17 seasons on the coaching staff at Hofstra University. The last four seasons she served as the Pride’s head coach compiling a 130-73-1, two NCAA Tournament appearances, and two CAA Championships. Anderson also served on staffs at LIU Post and Gannon University where she was an All-American outfielder.

Lee Dobbins: Coach Anderson you spent 17 years with the program at Hofstra as either an assistant coach, associate head coach, or the last four seasons as the head coach. What ultimately made you want to leave that comfort zone and move to a conference that many consider the most visible and high pressure in the country? 

Larissa Anderson: I loved Hofstra and always will.  Throughout my 17 years at Hofstra I had many opportunities to leave and I always chose to stay because of what we were able to accomplish there, being a private mid-major school in the northeast and competing in the Top 25, I enjoyed that challenge.  I also wanted Hofstra to be my first head coaching opportunity.  I owed it to Bill Edwards, the alumni and our players.  Following the success of our 2018 season at Hofstra I knew there were going to be different career opportunities for me and it was going to come down to me making a decision if I was going to stay at Hofstra for the rest of my life, or was this the time for me to move on in my career.  Not many people get an opportunity to coach in the SEC, and I knew that if I turned down this opportunity now, it would never come my way again.  I also knew that Mizzou was the perfect fit for me.  They needed stability, they wanted to build a culture, and I can provide that. 

Dobbins: You took over a program very much in transition at Missouri having worked through last season with an interim head coach and staff while coming off some trying times that lead to that transition. Things seemed to be further complicated with the NCAA coming down with a postseason ban and other restrictions for the program moving forward. What have you and your staff done to work through that and spin that to recruits and current team members for that matter that you are re-positioning the program to be a consistent Top 25 competitor again?  

Anderson: We are being completely transparent. My staff and I were not a part of this program in 2016 when the violations occurred, and over half my team was not here as well.  It’s very unfortunate for our current team has to suffer the repercussions of the decision of one softball student-athlete and one part-time tutor who are both no longer at Mizzou.  I am making sure I am as educated as possible about the NCAA appeal process and communicating with my current team and recruits on the possibilities of the sanctions.  We know we have no control over what the NCAA decides. All we can control is making sure we play every game as though it is an NCAA regional and at the end of the season if the NCAA decides we are banned from post season, and we are one of the top 64 teams who are deserving to go, then you know the NCAA tournament does not include the best 64 teams in the country. 

Dobbins: Over the last few years recruiting has been a major topic of conversation particularly when it comes to the average (young) age that Prospective Student Athletes are being recruited and making verbal commitments to programs. Legislation has now been initiated restricting contact/offers to PSAs until the start of their junior years in high school. Talk a bit about that change in the recruiting dynamic since that legislation has been adopted. Has it slowed the process and made balancing recruiting better? Has the legislation been effective in curving earlier recruiting in any way?

Anderson: It’s going to take a few years for everything to settle down, because there are still 2021, 22, 23’s out there who were verbally committed to universities.  Before the legislation passed, a lot of schools were rushing to commit as many young recruits as possible, just to get their name on them.  But what is happening now in the recruiting process, verbal commitments are not respected.  Schools are continuing to recruit PSA’s who are verbally committed and will continue to do so until they sign the National Letter of Intent.  So I guess the new legislation and how coaches are handling it is not making PSA’s make decisions in their junior and senior year, which was the intention. The negative effect of how coaches are not respecting verbal commitments is you can’t assure your current verbals will stay committed. 

Dobbins: I recently heard a phrase directly referenced to collegiate softball; “The era of the free agent has begun.” This seemingly is referencing the latest NCAA Transfer Legislation that eliminates the permission-to-contact process. The transfer rates in the last five years had seemingly already been at an all-time high. Recently however, it seems the flood gates have opened directly connected with this legislation. What are your thoughts on this legislation and its effect on the collegiate game?

Anderson: I have ALWAYS felt that any athlete should have to sit out a year when they transfer, regardless of the situation.  I feel that way more now with the new transfer legislation. I completely disagree that an athlete should be allowed to play at one institution in the fall and transfer mid-year and play at another institution in the spring.  If they are required to sit out a year, it will do a number of things. 1) kids then will make a more educated decision rather than saying “well, I can just transfer if I don’t like it” 2) kids will weigh the options of transferring, if they are really unhappy, then it’s worth it sitting out a year 3) it would prevent coaches from poaching student-athletes from other schools for an immediate replacement.  It’s impacting programs, careers and if softball was like men’s’ football, baseball or basketball, you could potentially talk about a player’s draft status based on the success of a team.  But ironically, those sports you have to sit out a year.  How about that! If players were unable to transfer and play immediately, I wonder how many would have slowed down their own recruiting process and made a more thorough decision in the first place?

Dobbins: Softball (Collegiate Game particularly) has boomed in popularity in the last 10 years and this seems to be based on its visibility on different media outlets (TV, online, Social Media, etc.). How that dynamic of visibility has changed the way the game is played and how you run your program? What is the next progression of promotion of the game/advancement would you like to see as a Head Coach? 

Anderson: In my perspective in what I’m teaching my players, everyone is watching you, so we will ALWAYS play the game the right way. We will respect the game, we will watch our language, we will conduct ourselves as professionals.  But the visibility has also changed the game preparation.  Your ability to watch your future opponents from many different angles, break down the game film. But what I think is most valuable from the visibility of a program is you can give fans, alumni, boosters an inside look into your program every day.  The fan engagement is huge, which helps promote your program and get more people involved.  People can feel as if they are a part of your program which gives them a sense of ownership and loyalty.  It also allows recruits to get an inside look into the day and the life of a collegiate softball player. 

Softball Olympian and ESPN on air personality Jessica Mendoza has joined the New York Mets. Mendoza will focus on operations in the areas of player evaluation, roster construction, technological advancement, and health and performance. This position in MLB comes in addition to her role as an analyst for ESPN Sunday Night Baseball. Mendoza won both a Gold Medal in Athens in 2004 and Silver in 2008 in Beijing. She was also an All-American standout at Stanford.

I came across a Tweet from a really high level softball player that simply asked/stated did it “bother” any other softball player when they see a baseball player signing hundred(s) million contracts, and frankly stating if she was male she would be a millionaire too. She is probably right, she has great talent and would get that type of payoff if there was a comparable opportunity for female athletes like Major League Baseball. However, that seems to be the issue at hand, there simply isn’t. 

MLB has been around for roughly 150 years. That is a long time to be doing business, particularly a sports related business/league. They didn’t start out paying players (probably overpaying players honestly) hundreds of millions of dollars as they do today. That was a brand built over three centuries now. It didn’t sprout up out of thin air with mega-stadiums, major TV contracts, hundred dollar tickets, and $12 hotdogs. It started from nothing with probably great similarities of what softball players are going through now looking for relevance and financial worth as a professional in their sport. Players having other jobs that support themselves as they chase their professional dream (see minor league players in today’s time for example) was the norm then as it is for softball players now. MLB built itself into what it is today 150 years later as entity that averages bringing in around $10 billion annually. Baseball is a great sport, softball (in my humble opinion) is a better sport. 

Softball ultimately has to build what baseball has in not only name, but functionality and then success. There could be some not-so-easy/lean years doing it before one can reap the same financial benefits as baseball does today. It’s not going to be handed to softball or any sport that hasn’t built its brand and attractiveness to a public willing to spend their disposable income to see the product. There has to be 40,000 fans willing to buy that ticket, and pay for $25 parking, and buy a $14 beer, the $9 ice cream, a $100 authentic game jersey, and anything else the kiddies want when they come watch. The public have to be willing to hand their dollars over for something worth their hard earned buck. A sport has to be able to get the TV contracts that come from advertiser money and interest in the game, and them willing to pay for their 30 second spots during these contests as millions of fans/potential customers tune-in. Lord knows I would like to see all that for this great game I’ve dedicated my life to. However, it’s not going to happen until you build it to that point as not just a watchable game and on-field product, but something that sells itself as a spectacle and vehicle for potential advertisers and investors. 

So how can softball get to the point of being relevant and a profitable option as a sport on the professional level? It can’t be expected for a professional softball league to thrive or grow with 4-5 rotating teams (often different each year and half of which are national team players from other countries being compensated by those countries) that draws a hundred fans on a good night to be able to pay out millions of dollars to their athletes. It’s just not feasible, the math just doesn’t work. What’s the answer? For that matter where does it even start? Those truly are the million dollar questions. Whoever figures it out, I’m sure will make a million or two themselves getting professional softball out of the purgatory of non-relevance we see it in currently. However, until that happens you can’t expect to have millions of dollars just handed over or it simply fall from the sky because there are a great athletes and players out there that seem to be well deserving based on their talent and work. The system to which makes that happen for them has to be in place and just as strong as the attributes as a player and product. 

It’s also hard to question with any reasonably why a male athlete that plays in a league 150 years old, with generations worth of fans, with corporate and media backing, that plays in front of tens of thousands of fans 162 times a year, shouldn’t make the dollars they do. However, I understand the frustration of the female athlete that is in NO WAY making currently what they are worth or their talents demand. That has to start with that support system in place that I mentioned earlier however. The professional option in this country as it stands today is stagnant and seems not to be growing (or maybe at a snail’s pace and non-noticeable). I’ll also say they haven’t been at it 150 years yet either, so what is to be expected in a sport very much still in its infancy on the grand scheme of it all. I do see a league abroad in Japan that relies on corporate sponsorship to make their league go. Most of that league seems to made in the image of the old “Industrial” men’s and women’s leagues and teams where major companies would basically field a highly competitive company team. Many great men’s and women’s player were employed in these companies to work and play softball back when these teams and the competition was a serious as any professional league. It seems the Japanese have a model that is working for them very well and even to the point they have attracted many great U.S. born athletes to their league. Can this model work in the U.S.? Has anyone tried? 

This won’t be one of my more popular pieces (cue the triggered naysayers) even though I’m simply stating fact about the current plight of softball athletes in this country. But we have to get past the “He has it, so she should have it too” divide. This is not the collegiate level where all (supposedly) are equal. I get the argument of self and professional worth, I get the fight for equality, but this isn’t the collegiate level. It’s business and finances plain and simple. When a business can’t be backed up scientifically, mathematically, or economically; the likelihood of the payouts professional softball players are looking for just aren’t feasible. Are these great softball athletes worth more than they are making? A MILLION TIMES OVER YES AND WITH NO DOUBT IN MY MIND!!!! 

Once again you have to package a good product to sell the public and they (along with investors and advertisers) have to buy it, and that’s the bottom line. Unfortunately for this current generation of great softball professionals (much like the early generation of baseball professionals), they might not be able to reap what they are sewing now. For future professional softball players and the game of softball as a whole it could (and with much hope of this writer) be different.