SU club softball relies on trust while playing without a coach

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In addition to being an outfielder, Syracuse club softball team president Julianne Strauss makes the lineups, keeps track of attendance and coordinates the team’s season.

The team, which is entirely student-run, holds a middling 4-8 record in the New England Central Division, competing against clubs like Ithaca, Oswego, Binghamton and Cornell. The team of 23 players understands that competing without a coach or team manager can present certain disadvantages, but the program puts a powerful emphasis on mutual trust, responsibility and communication — key tools to help propel the team forward.

Strauss joined the club softball team as a freshman. Now as the only senior on the roster, she’s assumed a leadership position after the team voted her president.

Four years ago, as a newcomer, Strauss remembered when Jenna Stanzione, the team’s manager at the time, controlled the program and had built the team from scratch. Stanizone was a Syracuse alumna, and there wasn’t a club softball team before she arrived.

Strauss said Stanizone wanted to pursue a career as a teacher and moved back to her hometown, Albany. She never could attend practices, which is why Strauss believes the structure might be stronger now with everyone’s full commitment.

“(Our coach) didn’t get to see our day-to-day routine…(the lineups) didn’t reflect how practices were going,” Strauss said. “We definitely had more lenience and were (able to) be goofy at games. It wasn’t all serious to impress the coach.”

With the players in control, Strauss sees how the development of the program has improved, as the team has been able to play loose and have bonded more than ever before.

“We have a lot more to offer….We’re a lot more involved on social media. I think [our Instagram] reflects who we are,” Strauss said. “I have a better connection with the freshmen on the team.”

Despite the added responsibilities, Strauss thinks the current system in place now is stronger even without a manager. But, although there have been improvements, it still feels uncomfortable when the board — which is comprised of the president, vice president, public relations director and treasurer — makes the final roster decisions based on tryouts.

“Now we’re in charge of conducting tryouts, and that’s hard because now it’s up the board to determine who will make the team and who won’t,” Strauss said. “It’s hard telling someone my own age ‘sorry, you’re not on the team.’”

Strauss has taken it upon herself to read the team and know when they need an extra push. In a recent cold-weather game, she recognized her team was falling apart and wasn’t in the right mental state. It was up to her to “gather everyone” and “stick it through,” Strauss said — they see her as not just a coach, but as a player as well.

“One big advantage is that you feel more inclined to listen to someone who is right there with you,” said second baseman Zoe Boyd. “When it’s more player-run, you know the people in charge are a lot more in touch with the team and with what the team needs.”

SU club softball players stand in a huddle. Playing without a coach, the girls on the SU club softball learn the importance of trust and teamwork while on the road. Courtesy of Julianne Straus

Syracuse has struggled on the mound because the players lacked experience. At times, during triple-headers, many players have had to step into a pitching role when the starters get tired.

With no manager or coach in charge of making replacements, it’s up to each player to take themselves out of the game. If a pitcher seems to have reached her maximum, Strauss might get someone warmed up in the bullpen, but she will always give her pitcher the final say, even if it appears she has nothing left in the tank.

“I listen to my players. They know themselves best,” Strauss said. “I’m not a pitcher, so I don’t know when a pitcher is reaching her maximum. We have to have her back…if she does want to power through.”

Sydney Jud has been one of those pitchers to step up. It’s been something she’s been doing her whole life. Jud played every position when she played at the youth level, so she understands the pressure that comes with being a pitcher and being the person that controls when each play starts.

As a catcher, Jud has guided fellow pitchers as well. Because Jud knows the different mechanics each pitcher has, she understands when someone might be getting tired. When these patterns occur, Jud is the first one to walk out to the mound to give the pitcher time to catch her breath.

“I know my bad habits,” Jud said. “I can recognize when they’re getting tired. I can see on the spin of the ball that [the pitchers] are not releasing it properly.”

With Syracuse’s pitching being so inexperienced, having someone like Jud behind the plate provides a comfort level for pitchers. They know their battery mate can understand what they might be going through out on a mound, which can otherwise feel very lonely.

“I can tell when the catcher is trying to set something up, even if we forget to go over signals,” Jud said.

Strauss has taken notice of Jud’s progression as a pitcher, as well as the growth of other catchers that now play both positions.

Syracuse’s offense has been the team’s biggest strength, despite the lack of repetitions in practice. The team doesn’t see many opportunities to hit against live pitching, Jud said, but the Orange have still managed to score runs in bunches.

During practices, Strauss makes sure that defense stays the main focus. This season, the team has been working on double plays and making smart plays when throwing the ball. Both Jud and Strauss have seen improvement in those areas. Boyd believes missed throws are what costs the club most. While Syracuse has no problem making contact with the ball, most of the runs it surrenders have to do with self-inflicted errors on the field, Boyd said.

Strauss has seen a lot during her four-year tenure with the club. As her time as both a player and president come to an end, she feels she can look back fondly at how her roles with the organization have gone. Strauss hopes to see the current underclassmen take on leadership roles of their own in the future to continue to build the program.

“(I want) to leave the team in a better spot than when I started,” Strauss said. “(Past games) became so competitive, we all didn’t like to play (anymore). We want to make softball fun again.”