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July 18, 2001
Charlottesville-Rising fourth year Kristen Dennis (Encinitas, Calif.) has been offered a position as an assistant coach for her former travel softball team the Orange County Batbusters. The team, which Dennis played for during her junior and senior year of high school, consists of high school softball players chosen by head coach Gary Haning. Dennis will have help from former teammates who will also coach the team.
Dennis has had some coaching experience through working with softball camps for her high school at La Costa Canyon in San Diego, Calif. Although Dennis has coached a travel softball team in the past, she said this opportunity will still be a challenge for her.
“It’s easier being a player because out on the field I don’t have to worry about anything, and also because I have some control over the game,” she said. “As a coach you can’t do anything about how the team is playing. As a player, especially a pitcher, I have some influence over the game.”
Dennis will travel with the team to Atlanta, Ga., in late July for the American Softball Association 18-and-Under Gold Nationals.
In addition to coaching the Batbusters, Dennis will participate in Virginia’s softball camp, scheduled to begin mid-July. Dennis said she looks forward to this opportunity to be a role model.
“It’s an honor to have younger girls aspire to be like you,” she said. “It makes you feel like everything you worked for wasn’t just for you, but to help other players.
Dennis has also decided to remain in Charlottesville to attend summer school. As a physical education and health major at the Curry School of Education, Dennis is taking both biology and biology lab. Dennis admitted that this summer’s schedule has been more of a strain than in previous years.
“This year has been more stressful because I’m taking summer school classes. I’m also working a lot,” she said. “I usually coach a softball camp and play a few games at home with my old teammates.”
Besides summer school and coaching, Dennis is working on training for the upcoming fall season. According to Dennis, balancing all of these things is not always easy.
“I wish I wasn’t so tired from studying and class, so that I could spend extra time at the gym and play ball,” she said. “Since we just finished a 70-plus-game season, the summer is more of a rebuilding time both mentally and physically for the upcoming fall and spring seasons.”
Despite her busy schedule, Dennis acknowledged that the summer is a stress reliever from being a full time student athlete.
“It’s nice to have a break from the regular routine of practice everyday, you have the option of where and when to work out, which is so convenient, ” she said. “In the summer I’m still in a routine but the difference is that it’s mine, which helps me to push myself in the ways I need it.”