In the fall, as the leaves turn and the temperature begins to drop, most people are anxious for the flood lights to be turned on, the hash marks to be drawn, and the pigskin to begin taking flight.
Locals are quick to boast about their respective high schools and the success that each team achieves on the gridiron. Wins, losses, statistics, and championships are ammunition, fueling arguments that quite often get more intense than presidential debates.
Here in South Georgia, football is everything.
Unless you ask the talented young ladies of the Southern Pride.
Comprised of players from throughout South Georgia and North Florida, the Pride is a traveling softball team that is making competitors take notice. Under the tutelage of head coach Thomas Macera, this amazing group of student-athletes trains, practices, and competes year-round to improve their craft.
Since September 2013, the Southern Pride has placed third or better in six different tournaments. Over the course of those tournaments, the Pride won 31 games while only losing three. The girls averaged just fewer than nine runs per contest (8.6) while holding their opposition to below two runs per game (1.6). In fact, the combined score of their three losses over this span was only 9-3.
“We focus on the fundamentals,” Coach Macera said. “At the end of the day, you have to swing a bat. You have to understand the finer points of the game, and most importantly, you have to play defense. Our girls prepare with fundamentals, and when you get the basics down, success is inevitable.”
From July 27 to August 3, the Southern Pride competed in the USA Girls’ 12 & Under Fast Pitch Tournament in Bloomington, Indiana. After occasional weather delays, the girls finished with five wins to only two losses, earning them a ninth-place finish out of a staggering 73 teams from around the country.
The girls are all extremely active as the team spreads their workouts and tournaments throughout the entire calendar year. Aside from the Pride, each player also competes on her respective school team.
“The girls usually have a light spring; by then they are all engaged in school ball,” said Sara Sumner, mother of Pride catcher Sophie Sumner. “It’s normally the heaviest in the fall, with a break typically in December and January.”
While each player brings special talent and ability to the roster, five players in particular are making their mark on the program. Rylin Hedgecock (Hahira Middle), Jacie Johns (Hahira Middle), Ragen Lasseter (Tift County Middle), Taylor Macera (Georgia Christian), and Sophie Sumner (Lowndes Middle) are all local products that are taking the softball world by storm.
All standouts at their respective schools, these five girls make their traveling team much more dangerous. At HMS, Rylin is a tremendous presence on the mound, already delivering pitches at upwards of 58 mph. After a recent “call-up,” Rylin has also been named a member of the junior varsity team at Lowndes High School. Along with Pride teammate Sophie, the girls are two of three middle school players already seeing action in the upper ranks with the Vikettes.
As the girls get older, it is inevitable that the Pride move up in the age ranks as well. Beginning with the 2014-15 season, the former 12 & Under team will move up to play in the 14 & Under ranks. However, don’t expect the transition to intimidate anyone.
“The competition is going to change,” Coach Macera said. “The girls that they face will be bigger, stronger, and faster than what they saw (playing 12 & Under). But I don’t see any problems. These girls are incredibly mature and talented. Adjusting to a new age level will be no issue for them.”
The team members are taught the importance of integrity, hard work, and camaraderie. What makes the team so special, however, is that each member fully understands that the lessons learned can, and normally do, extend far beyond the confines of a softball field. Everything that is taught is also regularly emphasized and reiterated in every aspect of their daily lives.
“It’s so funny to watch the girls play on their school teams,” Mrs. Sumner said. “During the games, the girls are on opposing sides and the intensity is all over their faces. But as soon as the game is over, they’re hugging and laughing together, just like the best of friends. It’s all about the bonds that they’ve formed through the Pride.”
Coach Macera has over a decade of coaching experience. While he has a wealth of knowledge to give to the players, he is learning from them on a daily basis as well.
“There’s nothing better than watching these young ladies grow,” Coach Macera said. “They are always eager to learn, and the look ontheir faces when they accomplish something new is irreplaceable. They are really able to put their hearts into the game because the excitement of learning outweighs the pressure of wins and losses.”
As the Pride prepares to enter its fourth season, the sky is the limit for these gifted student-athletes. And with the way these young ladies are progressing, the team name is a perfect reflection of the feelings of their families, friends, and fans: South Georgia is proud.
Special Feature/South Georgia/September 2014
Southern Pride
Valdosta, Georgia
James Washington
