Brown, Underwood, Crow are program's foundation

PHOTO BY RICHARD AKRIDGE Senior picther Kirby Crow instructs freshman first baseman Taylor Holloman (21) to let a bunt go foul in the Lady Badgers' 9-2 win against Connally on Tuesday.

Taryn Brown has worn No. 7 on the diamond since she was 4.

"It's been my number since T-ball," Brown said. "I've never had a different number than seven."

Because of her legacy and how it could impact the future of Lampasas High School softball, no one will ever again don No. 7 for the Lady Badgers. The same goes for the No. 11 and No. 22 worn, respectively, by seniors Vonzella Underwood and Kirby Crow the past four seasons.

First-year LHS head coach Chris Gaffney made it very clear before Tuesday night's 9-2 home win against Pflugerville Connally that he intends to embrace the past in an attempt strengthen the future. In a speech honoring his three seniors before their final home game, he retired their numbers and explained to the LHS and Connally fans that without players such as Brown, Crow and Underwood, there might not even be an LHS softball future.

That's because 10 years ago, those players made up the nucleus of the first Lampasas select-league softball team, the Shockers. Crow's father, Wesley, coached the team. In the past decade, select-league softball gave dozens of local girls the opportunity to travel and to play against athletes of all calibers.

Those opportunities translated into a playoff berth for the Lady Badgers three years ago and competitive teams the past two seasons.

"That group of girls started it all," Gaffney said after Tuesday's emotional win. "Softball was nothing here before them. There's a whole generation of softball players coming up who wouldn't even be playing if it wasn't for them."

Gaffney is not the only one who recognizes the importance of legacy, tradition and how the present affects the future. The current varsity players understand it. Two weeks ago, each varsity player escorted a member of the select-league Lampasas Lightning onto the field before a varsity game, giving those girls a taste of what it's like to step on Lady Badger Field in front of packed stands.

In return, those Lightning players stayed for the game. They chanted and sang. They referred to the home-team players by name. They razzed the opponent. In short, they did the things you see youngsters doing at the games of tradition-rich programs.

It all boils down to young people building tradition and having enough faith and selflessness to pass that tradition to the next generation, rooting for them to reach greater goals than they achieved. No jealousy. No desire to be recognized as pioneers. Just pride.

What I'm trying to explain (rather poorly, I might add) was summed up by one play Tuesday night. It was recorded as nothing more than a foul ball in the scorebook, but it speaks volumes about upperclassmen passing on their knowledge and underclassmen humbly accepting it.

A Connally hitter dropped a bunt down the firstbase line. Crow rushed over from the mound, and freshman first baseman Taylor Holloman charged from first. The ball hugged the line. Holloman reached for the ball. Crow stopped her. The ball rolled foul. Crow got the girl out on the next pitch.

Had the freshman grabbed the ball, the runner would have been safe. Had that run scored, it might have affected Holloman - the ultimate team player - mentally. Instead, Holloman came up in the sixth inning with a clear head and blasted a bases-loaded triple that blew open the game and secured the win.

Now, put Holloman in a similar situation three years from now. Give her an opportunity to pass on some knowledge to an underclassman in a pressure situation. How do you think she'll respond?

Think about it for a second. That's tradition.

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A couple of varsity LHS coaches will not be teaching Lady Badgers and Badgers next year.

Mitzi Lancaster stepped down this week after four years as head girls' basketball coach. She wants to focus on raising her infant son, who, in early January, was born more than three months premature but has battled his way to almost 10 pounds. Stephen Hermesmeyer resigned after one year as offensive coordinator for the football team and head girls' powerlifting coach to accept the athletics director/ head football coach position at Winters.

I know literally hundreds of high school coaches. I know very few who invest in their players emotionally as much as does Lancaster. For the past four years, Lady Badger players have been lucky to know her. When she returns to coaching - and she will - her players will be lucky to know her.

Hermesmeyer is the epitome of a Texas high school football coach. He demands a lot from his players and when they give him a lot, he demands more. His refusal to lower his standards and expectations rubs some people the wrong way. He doesn't lose any sleep over it. That quality will make him a successful head coach.

Jeremy Heath is the Dispatch Record's sports editor. He can be contacted via e-mail at jheath@lampasas.com.