Derek Smiley has taken over as the head varsity softball coach this season. Smiley has been involved with baseball and softball in the area before. 

“I’ve been involved with baseball growing up,” Smiley said. “That’s how he knew he wanted to become a coach. I know the girls they’re playing softball here now so I’ve felt like someone needed to step up and help them with their program.”

This season, Smiley is hoping to focus on developing his athletes’ confidence on and off the field. 

“I hope to really develop leadership skills [within the players],” Smiley said. “Confidence not only in softball but in life and hopefully create maybe some stability here with the softball program.”

Smiley is excited about the prospect of working with new players this year. 

“I’m always excited to get new students because you never know what they’re going to bring,” Smiley said. “What it could be, their talents and what skills they’re going to bring to the program.”

Smiley’s main goal is to be consistent in games during the season. 

“I think this year our main goal is to really just be competitive,” Smiley said. “To every team that comes here to feel like they have to bring their best game to the program. Harrisonburg is not going to be some weak program that we’re going to battle every time we go out on the field.”

Smiley knows that he will have to make tough decisions regarding playing time this season. 

 “I think accountability is the big piece that we’re really focusing on,” Smiley said. “We want to make sure that everybody on our team knows that every practice, every game, no one’s locked into that position. Who’s batting the hardest, who’s shown the most effort, who’s putting it all on the line when we go out there on the field. Those are the people that are going to fill those nine spots on the field. Hopefully a hard work ethic is something that we really get all the players to buy into and instill in.”