Craig Helfrich has his work cut out for him.

To get the Warsaw softball program back to where it was in 1991 when the Tigers won a state championship, Helfrich will have a number of obstacles to get past.

First, there's the inexperience. Helfrich comes from a baseball background but has never really coached a softball team. He just graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University in 1997, where he played four years of baseball. His dad has coached at both Oak Hill and Marian.

"Being around a coach, I know the ropes pretty well," Helfrich said. "I haven't really had any problems. There are a lot of the same drills involved with baseball and softball."

Then, there is the inexperience of the team to the coach. It often takes an adjustment period for the two entities to get acquainted with each other, but Helfrich has seen that go smoothly so far.

"It's been an adjustment but everything's been positive from the parents, players and assistant coaches," Helfrich said. "All I ask is to give 100 percent."

Obstacle No. 2 will be the pitching. Gone from last year's 14-12 team is Rachel Liebsch, who is now pitching at Grace College. Liebsch pitched 20 2/3 innings in three sectional games and was relied on heavily by former coach Rod Yoder.

"Pitching is the big thing," Helfrich said. "I think we'll be OK. We don't have one pitcher who's going to strike out 16 or 17 in a game. If we can get a lot of innings from Shanna Smith, it will help. And we've got one of the best defenses in the area, so we should be fine."

Smith was Warsaw's No. 2 pitcher last year and is a senior captain this year. When she's not on the mound, she'll be playing shortstop. Helfrich described her as a quick player who can hit the ball well.

The third obstacle will be a difficult schedule, especially right at the beginning of the year. For a team trying to get used to a new coach, that could spell trouble.

"We have one of the toughest schedules in the state," Helfrich said. "Our first four or five games will be really tough, but we can't throw our season away on four or five games."

Helfrich has a very versatile squad to put on the field this year. Many of the athletes will play multiple positions, and with just three seniors, this squad will be looking toward the future while still competing well this year.

Helfrich's captains will be Smith and senior first baseman Shannon Barger.

"Barger is just an overall good player," Helfrich said. "She can field, make good contact with the ball, hit the ball with power and she's aggressive."

The other senior is outfielder Brandy Bussard. She will play a supporting role behind juniors Marie Brown, Kari Fribley and Laura Overton in the outfield.

Brown will play in center, Fribley can play both right and left when she's not pitching as the No. 2 starter, and Overton plays in left. Bussard will back up as will sophomore Sara Ellis, junior Erin Shalley and freshman Jackie Burns. Burns will also take her turn as the No. 3 pitcher on the staff.

In the infield, Barger and Smith will play, along with sophomore Melissa Himes and the two freshmen on the varsity squad, Burns and Amie Poling.

At catcher, Christy Colt will call the pitches and Poling can play there also.

"We're going to have girls that will step in at different spots," Helfrich said. "All of our girls are versatile. We have very good freshman and sophomore classes, and I see a lot of potential for this team."

Warsaw opens its season on April 7 at Logansport at 4:30 p.m.

Area Softball Preview Capsules

Manchester

Head coach - Jim Troyer, 2nd year

Last year - 12-10; Conference co-champs, sectional runners-up

Key losses - Heidi Wieland, Missy Miller, Tracy Hart, Jodie Peden, Katie Parker

Key returners - Jamie Gillum (shortstop), DeMara Knight (second base), Michelle Gerber (first base), Megan Sell (pitcher)

Outlook - "We're as good as we were last year, maybe quicker. We lost two all-conference players who decided not to play this year in Peden and Parker. Out of 22 players, we have 16 sophomores and freshmen. Filling Heidi's shoes will be difficult at catcher, because my only back-up last year was a senior. We started 0-7 or something like that last year, and it may be like that this year. But we go 12 or 14 deep." Troyer

Triton

Head coach - Eileen Mariani, 2nd year

Last year - 14-9, 6-4 in conference

Key losses - Rachel Yeiter, Amy Peterson, Chris Wanemacher, Kiki Hammonds

Key returners - Wendy Banic (first base), Amilia Devros (centerfield), Jill Klonowski (pitcher/outfield), Liz Miller (third base), Kendra Blackford (second base), Mary Claxon (catcher)

Outlook - "Last year we improved to a winning record (8-12, 4-4 the previous season), and we'd like to keep that. We'd mainly like to improve our conference record and advance further in the sectional. I'm looking forward to class. It should boost our record, and hopefully, interest in the game." Mariani

Tippecanoe Valley

Head coach - Lori Busenburg, 2nd year

Last year - 7-15

Key losses - Summer Groninger, Cory Groninger, Kara Tucker, Emily Cripe, Amy Heckaman, Jahna Phillips

Key returners - Aubrey Engstrand (outfield), Brandy Manns (third base), Brooke Fisher (pitcher/catcher), Brandi Fisher (shortstop), Amy Nellans (first base), Sabrina Newsome (pitcher)

Outlook - "We'd like to win conference and sectional and improve on our record from last year. (Class softball) won't change much for us. We still play some teams in our sectional from last year. We will have a shorter trip, going to Rochester. We play at Rochester quite a bit so we're used to that diamond." Busenburg

Wawasee

Head coach - Bo O'Dell, 3rd year

Last year - 9-16

Key losses - Jenny Szynal, Carly Beer, Heather Levernier, Angie Hoover

Key returners - Kari Wortinger (shortstop), Amy Gingerich (catcher), Sara Frantz (outfield), Megan King (pitcher), Jamie Conn (pitcher), Sonya Beer (outfield), Danielle Powell (first base)

Outlook - "We'd like to try to improve on our conference record. We want to be above .500 in the conference. We want to just play consistently in the season and build for the sectionals. (With class softball), you throw the Elkhart schools into the sectional." O'Dell

NorthWood

Head coach - Steve Shively, 3rd year (first year of second tenure)

Last year - 12-11

Key returners - Heidi Collins (catcher), Andi Jones (first base), Colleen Miller (first base/pitcher), Nicole Stewart (outfield), Marla Yoder (outfield), Natalie Will (pitcher), Heather Zentz (third base), Joanna Bove (shortstop)

Outlook - "We seem to be (a veteran team). I'm hoping we can stay above .500. In the past, we've been .500 or below. We're hoping to break above that. We're still going to be in a competitive sectional with Lakeland and Northridge." Shively

Whitko

Head coach - Marla Burkhart, 2nd year

Last year - 4-19

Key losses - Stacy Blain, Carrie Rhodes, Jenny Idle

Key returners - Brittany Waybright (shortstop), Kelly Osborn (centerfield), BrieAnne Starkweather (third base/first base), Mindy Lopshire (pitcher)

Outlook - "I expect us to do better than last year. We were very young last year, but we're a more veteran team this year. I think we'll be more consistent offensively. We struggled last year with our bats. That's something we've really been working on. Getting away from the Huntington North Sectional (because of class softball) should help mentally." Burkhart [[In-content Ad]]