Cierra Luna is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Xavier College Preparatory for AZPrep365

Xavier's softball team finished up 2019 with a record of 17-5, placing fifth in the state tournament, and coach Bradley Downes says that his team goals this season will be very similar to last year.   

“Xavier has a nice tradition of doing well in all sports, so we want to keep up with that,” Downes said.

Not only did Downes win Premier Region Coach of Year in 2019, but eight Xavier players earned Premier Region softball honors as well and will be returning for the upcoming season. 

“We will approach it very similarly to how we did this past year, but I think the difference-maker in some ways for us this year will be being more mature,” Downes said. 

This will only be Downes’ second season with Xavier, but in his first year with the program,  the team's win total more than quadrupled from 2018 to 2019. 

“We set some very general goals, but they were both team and individual, and the sense of our overall team last year was better,” Downes said. “The goal was simply just to improve. If you did stuff well, then we will get good results.”

In addition to new players, a new head coach, and assistant coach, Xavier softball saw a fresh focus for the program. 

“My style [of coaching] is more kind of blue-collar,' Downes said. "Focus on the fundamentals, be humble, and really just work hard and respect the game.” 

Last spring the Gators only started two upperclassmen and while still growing, Downes said the young players that made it onto his new team impressed. 

“I was fortunate to get really good players that came in and were willing to try and play that style of the ball,” he said.

The Gators have added a senior, a junior, and four freshmen to their varsity team, making them comprised of more underclassmen than upperclassmen. 

Pitcher Riley Flynn, named Premier Region player of the year as a freshman, claimed all 17 wins last season, but with the addition of two freshmen varsity pitchers, she will have some relief this year. 

“They both have good movement on their pitches, and they're good personalities to have coming in,” Downes said, “They work hard and I think they're gonna help by absorbing some of the innings that she [Flynn] had to throw last year.”

Downes has high hopes for the other two freshmen joining the Gators.

“I think that they have a lot of upside in the opportunity to potentially play on varsity for four years and playing [varsity] now will be a significant benefit not only to them but to the program,” he said. 

Downes described both incoming and returning players as skilled and said that what makes them contenders for the upcoming season is their athleticism and their ability to move into different positions with ease. 

Downes said that having mostly younger players does not make it difficult to cultivate leadership within a team. He looks for it in each individual rather than just his more experienced or older girls. 

“It doesn't matter what your age or your class is,” Downes said. “Leadership can be at any level.”

Along with resourcefulness and initiative, Downes said he reminds everyone on his team of their talents rather than focusing on their hardships. 

“We never said to the younger players, "oh, you're supposed to struggle,' or anything like that," Downes said. “We said, 'you guys are really good.'"

While Downes is hoping Xavier will be tough contenders during the state tournament in May, he is giving his attention to the regular season first. 

“You have to do well in the regular season," he said, "so hopefully we'll be in a good spot in the power rankings so that we have the best opportunity to go through and play in the playoffs.”

Xavier will begin its season on Feb. 27 against Boulder Creek in the Sunrise Mountain Softball Tournament.

The Gators' first home game will be against Valley Vista Monsoon on March 3.