Part Two

Dear Editor,

This is Chloe McRobbie, head softball coach at Wawasee. I am writing Part Two of my response to the letter titled, “Where Have All the Players Gone?”

Truth: Family members have assisted the head coach.

Rebuttal: Danielle Norris is my sister. She was also one of the best pitchers and hitters in the entire state of Indiana and pitched in college before transitioning careers. She was an all-state softball player with qualifications to make a real impact as a coach. Crystal Jaquay is my mother. She volunteered as  scorekeeper and organizer of concessions. She was a volunteer until a coach resigned last minute due to health and family concerns.

Truth: The numbers for the Wawasee High School softball program have been low.

Rebuttal: Had he dug a little deeper, he would have realized that only two out of eight NLC teams had enough players to carry a JV softball team last year. This is not a Wawasee-specific issue. To boost numbers, we have partnered with a Wawasee Middle School softball team that supports the high school program. The coaches have done a great job, and we hope these efforts help build our numbers for the future.

Conclusion: I have made many mistakes as a young coach. I do not claim to be perfect. Fresh out of college, I learned quickly that the way I was coached as a young female athlete was no longer a best practice for a younger generation. Every year, I have worked hard to adjust my instruction according to the personalities and needs of the athletes I work with. I am proud of the ways I have grown. While some people want to hold onto negativity and poison the minds of readers with false information, I want to be upfront about my mistakes
and move on from them so that I can be the best coach possible for my future athletes. I recommend others do the same.

From the beginning, I have loved being a Wawasee Warrior. I have bled the green and gold in my greatest and weakest moments. I love every single player who comes through the program. Please know there is someone in the head coach position that wants to make a real difference. I plan to stay at Wawasee as the head coach in the upcoming season. I love what I do, and I know I am a coach for the right reasons. Ask seniors and alumni about their experiences. Come to games and support the high school program. You will learn that many of the accusations made against myself, my coaching staff and my players are false and outdated.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the Wawasee softball program, and as always, Go Warriors!

Chloe McRobbie