After ending the 2013 season with a league record of 0-12 and an overall record of 3-22, Paly softball welcomed a new coach to kick off Paly’s 2014 season. Coach Bill Laskey took over George Marshall’s position.

Major League Baseball veteran Bill Laskey pitched professionally in the 1980’s after being drafted in the second round by the Kansas City Royals. After ending his pitching career, Laskey went on to serve as the head softball coach at Aragon High School in San Mateo. Laskey has now led the Vikings to a 13-12 overall season so far, an astounding improvement from last year.

This year, the team looked for something new and different to change pace, hoping to improve its record from last year. With a new coach and team, players expected something very different.

“It was a new team, a new coach, and a new everything, so we went in expecting something different from last year,” utility player Hannah Bundy (‘14) said.

Coach Laskey studied last year’s mistakes and practice techniques to focus on what the team needed to improve most. His pursuit for the team’s success is reflected in how he approaches the girls when they need the most help and structure.

“During games, if we lose our focus and have a few errors, Coach Laskey is very good at finding the right words or motivating us to get back on track,” Bundy said. “Whereas last year a few errors would lead to many more.”

After graduating Maya Padilla (‘13), Anna Rizza (‘13) and Rachel Day (‘13) from the team, the Lady Vikes had certain holes to fill.

“We thought it would be very hard to replace them,” Bundy said. “But everyone has really stepped up this year, including the new freshmen, to help fill those holes.”

Coach Laskey enjoys setting goals for his girls and he uses rewards as an incentive for the team to work hard. At the end of the season, Laskey rewarded the hard-working seniors with box seats when the San Francisco Giants faced the Cleveland Indians.

The Viking takes pleasure in awarding Bill Laskey with the Coach of the Year Award for his drive and patience to take what he has learned over the years as a professional, and improving on past mistakes that the team has made, in order to build a stronger group of players and lead them to success.

On top of bringing the team’s record back up and giving the girls a more structured season, Coach Laskey might be the first coach in four years to stay and coach for another season.

“I’m really excited for next year to already start off with a coach that we’ve been for at least a year,” shortstop Casey Glassford (‘15) said. “I’m really excited to continue in this direction.”

Although the team will lose six seniors next year, there is hope for upcoming underclassmen and another progressing season in 2015. <<<