Huntington Beach, Calif. - The Golden West College softball team and first-year coach Mike Willey are set to kick off their 2022 season on the road against Los Angeles Valley on Feb. 4 at 2:30 p.m.
After an unsuccessful 2021 season, Coach Willey entered the GWC softball program with the goal of rebuilding the program around a culture of success with seven returning players, four new players and a hand selected coaching staff.
"I'm expecting to help rebuild the program, working with a bunch of good returning players with great work ethic," Coach Willey said. He also expects to "have a better season, a more positive attitude and try to build a culture here of success."
With a roster of 11 players, Coach Willey will be counting on everyone to fill various positions as needed. A pitcher may be seen playing second base or an infielder may make multiple appearances in the outfield; it will depend on how each game unfolds. It is more likely for players to feel like they have too much playing time rather than not enough this season.
A major challenge that this team has faced is having to adjust to a coach with a new coaching style and coaching staff.
"My coaching style kind of comes naturally," Willey said. "I'm honest. I'm more of a player's coach who believes that things need to be done a certain way – you need to practice perfectly rather than having perfect practices, because if you're practicing wrong, you can practice all day and all night and it's still going to be bad."
Along with having proper practice techniques, he believes in fundamentals: small ball, producing runs, and staying positive.
"All of us in life have a dysfunction in our family somewhere down the line, but out here in softball, we're all out here for the same reasons, the same purpose, we all have the same goals," Coach Willey said. "I like to say that this is the only functional family we all have. We all have each other's backs."
With the hire of Mike Willey, John Fitzpatrick, Alan Caouette, and Mercedes Munoz, this softball program has been instituted with four seasoned coaches who all know how to have a successful season supporting this 2022 Rustler team. It is not common that a college team can say they have a 2.5-1 player-to-coach ratio with the same amount of experience as this coaching staff.
"To me, they are champions already, because they have worked hard and have done everything I've asked," Coach Willey said. "They're a special group."
NEXT: The Rustlers will visit Citrus College on Feb. 8 for their second game of the season before they welcome the Owls for their home opener on Feb. 9 at 3 p.m.
Written By: Marissa Lavezzari
