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Article #1: Q&A Session with team manager Andrew Wolan
Posted: June 27, 2010
By Andy Wolan / WRCS
After announcing the team’s return for the 2010 season, Coach Wolan held a Q&A session with the media. Below is a transcript of that Q&A session:
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Coach Wolan playing with the 356er's of Wilmington. (Bhatia)
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Why is the team getting settled so late in the year?
Because I was playing for a pro-am co-ed softball team called the 356er’s in Wilmington, DE.
How was it playing for the 356er’s?
Well, it was nice to play on a team with a winning record for a change.
*press erupts in laughter*
Why were you playing on this team before the start of the season?
Well, the 356er’s are a successful softball franchise with over 12 championship titles. At the very least, I hope to learn a few things about how a championship team conducts itself and apply that to my team. In addition, the extra play time will put me in shape and prepare me for the start of our regular season.
What were some of the things you took away from that experience?
Well two things:
1) On game day, instead of playing a single game they play a double header. This makes the experience more fun for everyone because everyone gets enough play time by the end of the day.
2) About 5 feet behind home plate is a second home plate. This second plate is used to separate base runners from whomever is covering home plate, and is there strictly for safety reasons.
(Click here to see a photo of the layout.)
The way it works is like this: batters hit from the traditional home plate. When a runner comes around to score, instead of stepping on the traditional home plate to score, they must step on the second home plate, or they are out. Fielders make force outs by stepping on the traditional home plate. A base runner between third and home that can’t be forced out must be tagged to be thrown out. However, if the base runner crossed the “line of no return”, which is about 20 feet from home plate, all the fielder needs to do to throw the running out is touch home plate; no tag required. I personally think it’s a great rule and avoids collisions at home plate, which sadly happens even in co-ed softball.
Did the 356er’s comment on your playing ability?
Well I got many compliments on my running ability. The managerial staff said that if during the playoffs they needed a pitch runner they won’t hesitate to put me in. I also got compliments about how I slide, or rather fall, to a base. Hmm, as I think about it, I don’t think that was a compliment. Damn you K.O.!
Where did you get your speed?
Stairmaster
(Muldoon) Stairmaster? Why, are you trying to develop your hips or something?
No, it's good for legs. The work-out gives me the ability to dig into the ground quickly so I can have the get-up and go I need to advance quickly along the baselines. However, it has helped shape my glutes and my all-female fan-club isn’t complaining a bit.
In addition, having a good pair of cleats can give you some added speed by helping you dig into the dirt.
Wait, you have a fan club? How many members are in this fan club?
Next question.
Writing Staff
Rumor has been circulating that this might be final season of coverage provided by the writing staff. Is this true?
Let me start by saying that the output from this writing staff is top notch. I think we can all agree with that. However, maintaining that level of quality is difficult, and they know we can’t retain at that level forever. After all, six seasons of coverage has taken its toll on the staff.
With that said the writing staff has contemplated whether to tone things down or to call it quits entirely. At a minimum, the staff wants to reach an internal milestone of writing their 100th game summary. The staff has written a total of 90 game summaries and strongly feels that they will reach this milestone by the end of this season, which will be their seventh.
I’m sure you will continue to see some great content from the writing staff for the remainder of the season, even if they decide to tone things down a bit. After the season is over, I’m sure they’ll take a hard look and decide if they want to continue at the status quo, scale back, or withdraw completely.
There are reports that you may retire at the end of the season, either from coaching or the sport entirely. Is that true?
Yes, I have been thinking about retirement. The writing staff has done more thinking about this matter than I have. I'm not going to make any decisions now; I'll see how the season goes and if I feel it to be rewarding enough to do it again, I will.
What about the photography core?
The services of our lead photographer, Richard Moffit, are now in high demand. He has been busy engaged in other photography assignments through-out the year. Moffitt said he will try and make as many games as he can, but warned me that he might have trouble coming to even a few games. We’ll try and compensate with the rest of the photography core, namely Misha and A-WOL.
Player Rumors
Back to the team; were any additions made to the roster during the off-season?
Yes, a few. We signed Ankitha Garapati, who told me that she was very interested in joining the team. We also sign Lisa Austin. You’ll be hearing about these recent acquisitions during the course of the season.
There are reports that Elliott was playing in the primer soccer league over in Europe last fall and this spring. Will he be back this season?
Yes. Elliott informed me that he should be around for most, if not all, of the 2010 season.
What about "Colby"? Will she be returning? Rumor has it that she signed a deal with the Boston Bees.
Yes, the fan favorite will be back. She has told me that she intends to play with the team in 2010. I believe the Boston Bees deal was a rumor started by ESBN.
Ok, one last question. You, in the back.
Last season, your goal was to double the wins from the previous season. What is your goal this season?
To not end in last place in the division and to win a playoff game.
** press core assembles in the back as reporter "polkaDancer435" takes bets. **
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