Community R-6 will begin a new chapter in its softball program.

The Lady Trojans have a new head coach in Jeff Angel as well as an underclassmen-heavy roster. Out of the 15 girls, 10 are either freshmen or sophomores.

Angel said there will be a lot of varsity inexperience this season but a lot of familiarity as well. He coached for the junior high team the last two years and led these underclassmen already. 

“Our younger girls, they’re going to bring a lot to the table,” Angel said. “Their softball IQ is pretty high. That helps out a lot. If you already know what’s going on and how we run things, then it’s an easier transition than learning something different.”

While there are quite a few new faces, Community will have returners who played for the 20-win teams each of the last two years. Jocelyn Curtis is one of three seniors who is the team’s No. 1 pitcher and a hitter who will slot into the heart of the order. Peyton Schafer expects to bring consistency to the leadoff spot, and Chloe Johnson will be another key bat in the middle of the order along with sophomore Myla Carroll.

“Jocelyn hits the long ball a lot,” Angel said. “It’s a matter of time before people catch on, and you’re going to need protection behind her.”

Angel said Carroll will be the team’s other primary pitcher who will eat up a lot of innings, and sophomore Sophie Fennewald will be a third option during busy weeks. Lydia Hoyt is a junior who will be a key starter in Angel’s lineup.

Having those certain elements to a lineup that will inevitably have some freshmen is valuable, Angel said, because the schedule leaves “no rest for the wicked.” The Lady Trojans play schools like Clopton, Paris and Cairo in the first half alone.

Angel said it is a “beefed up” schedule but was intentionally made that way to ensure the girls are better by the end of the year. He said he has confidence in all of the girls and he gives them plenty of reason to feel that way.

“We’re going to have a lot of speed at the bottom of the lineup with the younger girls,” Angel said. “We work a lot on bunting and the small game because the little things win games.”

Being good at the moments not seen in the box score — advancing runners, taking the extra base and making routine defensive plays — pleases Angel because he would like to put pressure on opponents. Doing that should help the younger girls settle into varsity to the point they take early leads, play competitive games and hopefully compete for the Central Activities Conference championship.

“Once you get to the fifth or sixth game, you start settling in and know what people are capable of,” Angel said. “I expect the younger girls to really shine. If they can do the little things, that’s going to take us a long way. If we can get some confidence early — that’s what I’m trying to do — that’s even better.”