By Garrett Kroeger

The Natchez Democrat

Vidalia High School softball coach Forrest Foster knows that his team could easily be a 20-win team, but they have yet to show that talent this season.

After the first six games of the year, Vidalia sits at 2-4 and Foster has no idea why his team is struggling thus far.

“This team really has me puzzled,” Foster said. “I don’t know how to get them to play a complete game. I haven’t figured out how to get them to be motivated from the first inning on.”

Foster has tried being nice to players to motivate them, and he said that hasn’t worked. He also said he has tried raising his voice when his players make mistakes, but that has also been unsuccessful.

Back in the day, Foster admitted he was such an aggressive coach that no one could stand him, not even the people in the stands. Now, as he grown older, he has become more and more passive. However, he said he will not be afraid to get more vocal again if that puts tallies in the win column.

“Half of the people in the stands couldn’t stand me,” Foster said. “But guess what, we won an awful lot of softball games, and that’s what it’s about. I don’t like being that way, but if I have to get that way again to win softball games, I’m going to get that way.”

The blue and white’s ace pitcher, junior Sara Cockerham, has one idea that may help her team compete from the first to the last inning and ensure the mistakes disappear.

“Running,” Cockerham said. “When we mess up or do something wrong, just like (the Vidalia baseball team) every error they commit, that’s how many laps they have to run. That’s what we need to do.”

While faults have riddled the Lady Vikings so far, Foster also credits the early season struggles to the surprising departures of some of Vidalia’s key players.

The Lady Vikings’ starting shortstop had to leave the team due to personal reasons and a week after that, their starting third baseman also had to take a leave from the squad. Plus, the Lady Vikings just got back their starting left outfielder.

“Our team was in disarray from the beginning this year,” Foster said. “We are trying to find a way to patch those holes up, and it’s difficult.

“As a coach, you always want to be optimistic. But you know, it is what it is. As a coach it’s frustrating, but I’m not going to give up on them and hopefully they won’t give up on me.”

Foster believes that he can patch the holes by starting freshman Rebecca Cowan at pitcher and moving Cockerham to shortstop. The reasoning behind the move is that Foster believes with Cockerham’s defensive ability — which he believes is the catalyst of Vidalia’s defense — will tighten everything up in the infield. Until Foster figures out the rest of the puzzle pieces, he expects Vidalia to keep struggling.

Despite the defensive concerns and an unformalized lineup, the Lady Vikings are still attacking the season with a positive attitude.

“If we start really focusing on softball and keep our minds on it, instead of things outside of the game, then we can contend for a state title,” Cockerham said.

Vidalia will retake the diamond at 5:30 p.m. Monday at home against Caldwell Parish.