Guilford 10-U All-Stars Softball Team Made Nice Strides This Year
On the heels of a successful regular season in the spring, the Guilford 10-U All-Stars Minors softball team competed in the District 9 Tournament that was held this summer. Guilford, which was coached by Andrea Klein, went 1-5 in the tournament, but still had a great deal of fun and enjoyed themselves throughout the experience. Klein couldn’t have pictured the season being any more memorable than it was as she coached her two daughters, Madison and Reagan, alongside her husband Scott throughout the past few weeks.
The Guilford 10-U All-Stars softball team entered the District 9 Tournament on June 29 after having posted a record of 11-1 during its three-month regular season. Although the tournament didn’t go as hoped for the All-Stars, Coach Klein and her players embraced the atmosphere that the games presented as they competed in an intense setting.
“When you shift into All-Stars, it’s like doing a complete 180, where now you have kids focused on certain positions, and you’re trying to play the best fit. The games get very competitive,” Coach Klein said. “The rules are very strict on a lot of different things. It’s really fun, but it’s pretty intense. The kids love it, because it has this professional feel to it.”
The roster for this year’s Guilford 10-U All-Stars softball team featured Quinn Burke, Adriana Capone, Avery Ehlert, Maci Greenberg, Aubrey Iacuone, Aliana Janosko, Madison Klein, Reagan Klein, Olivia Mahon, Leah Michalowski, Evie Motamedinia, Hayley Paradise, and Daisy Reynolds. Coach Klein was joined by her husband Scott, along with Michael Michalowski, on the coaching staff.
Guilford started off the District 9 Tournament by posting a convincing 20-2 victory over East Haddam on June 29. Following that win, the team put together a promising performance versus Madison the following day. The All-Stars lost the contest by an 11-2 score, but were able to limit eventual district champion Madison to its lowest run total in any game of the tournament.
“Even though we lost, I thought we played Madison very respectfully,” said Klein. “Hearing the [Madison] coach say how great our team played and the challenge we were was great to hear—and they came second in the state. It tells you a lot.”
On July 1, Guilford took a 16-6 loss to Middletown. The next day, the All-Stars dropped a 20-18 versus Coginchaug in a wild matchup. Guilford held the lead for most of the game before Coginchaug’s offense sparked a late rally to lift the team to the win. Coach Klein, who grew up playing softball through college, felt that she learned some valuable lessons about the coaching game during some of her team’s losses in the District 9 Tournament.
“I’ll be the first one to admit I didn’t make every perfect decision in the crunch time of a game, but I think it says a lot to be able to look back and go, ‘I should have done that differently.’ I had a few of those moments,” Klein said. “It’s OK to admit you’re wrong, and it’s OK to learn from your mistakes. It’s harder than it looks in those intense moments.”
The Guilford All-Stars finished the District 9 Tournament by taking a 14-4 loss to Haddam-Killingworth on July 5 and then a 13-12 defeat versus East Hampton the next day. In its final game of the tournament, Guilford battled back to narrow the deficit after trailing East Hampton by 6 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. It was a tough loss for the All-Stars, but Coach Klein was impressed with the composure that her players displayed under pressure.
“It really spoke a lot for these girls that, in these high-pressure moments, they never got down. No matter which game or what the score was, they were mentally in the game and cheering each other on,” said Klein. “The record doesn’t matter. If they keep developing their skills and maturing and growing as players, those life lessons are really what’s going to get them far.”
Guilford’s 10-U All-Stars experienced several memorable moments while participating in the District 9 Tournament. Prior to every game, the public-address announcer would ask for volunteers to sing the National Anthem. Every time, Guilford’s athletes came out to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” in tandem with the opposition’s players. Those types of moments were special for Coach Klein and her players. It also meant a lot to Klein that got an opportunity to work with both her husband and her daughters while coaching the team.
“Being able to coach next to my husband and coaching my two kids is absolutely priceless. I don’t take a second of that for granted,” Klein said. “I’m very lucky to be able to do that. I played softball my whole life, so to be able to help my kids through the game and help alongside my husband is definitely something special to me.”
Looking ahead to next year, Coach Klein is excited about the progress being made in the Guilford Little League softball program. Klein feels encouraged about the events of the past few weeks and looks forward to seeing how the team’s players continue improving.
“I think the attention that Guilford softball is getting is very positive. I think the league is growing in attendance, which is remarkable,” Klein said. “We’re a young team for All Stars, for sure. We got a lot of positive feedback from other coaches on how good the girls are looking, developing, and how far they’ve come along.”
On the first day of practice, Coach Klein emphasized the importance of having fun to Guilford’s ballplayers. For Klein, having fun is an even bigger victory than any results achieved on the field. Klein experienced many pleasant memories with her team this year and appreciates that she got to coach a group of players who displayed tremendous dedication.
“I truly feel that coaching has a huge impact on these kids. There’s nothing better than at the end of season, having a kid come up to you and say, ‘I love the game. I had a great season. I’m so happy I tried this and I can’t wait for next year,’” said Klein. “That, to me, no matter what record it is at the end of the year, is by far the most rewarding thing as a coach.”