Friday night marks the beginning of District 5-6A play at home for the Coppell softball team against Denton Guyer under the bright lights at Coppell ISD Baseball/Softball Complex. First pitch is at 7 p.m.

For Coppell softball coach Emily Janicek, the district season has not altered the team’s mindset, but drives her athletes to be confident and demand success.

“We are feeling eager and confident,” Janicek said. “This team has been working hard and knows what they need to do to be successful this season.”

The Cowgirls preparation has been intentional, with district level conditioning to prepare athletes for a competitive season.

“We have been covering all components of the game,” Janicek said. “We have put in a lot of time in the weight room and have seen heavy rotations of hitting. We have adapted a lot of game-like defensive reps.”

Beyond physical preparation, Janicek has constructed the softball program on personal connections and growth.

“The girls are aware that one of the fundamental cornerstones of my program is that I am more interested in who you are as a person than your stats or what you can do on the field,” Janicek said. “Those are a bonus. We have worked hard on our mental approach to the game and have held a lot of one-on-one sessions to really grow personal investment.”

Denton Guyer enters district play at 10-1. The Wildcats are led by coach Keith Medford, who earned his 600th career win last March and has coached the program since 2006.

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