By Zack Kirby
A Southern Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championship, an NCAA regional appearance, 1,000 career wins and a SoCon Coach of the Year award closed out a memorable season for Frank Reed and the UTC softball team. Â
With a 1,009-401 career record at UTC, Reed currently holds more victories than any other active coach in the Southern Conference and is the 10th winningest active coach in the country.Â
The Mocs ended their 2015 campaign with a 35-15 record and finished 12-5 in conference play.This was UTC's eighth season with a .700 winning percentage or higher, and they also ranked within the top 50 NCAA teams for RPI. Chattanooga eventually earned a No.40 ranking, which was its lowest rating of the year.
UTC also had six players [Sarah Beth Roberts, Criket Blanco, Nicole Osterman, J.J. Hamill, Cori Jennings and Kailey Palazzolo] named to the All-SoCon Awards list.
For this Q&A, Reed discusses his team's memorable season, his thoughts on what makes a successful program and more.
After your 500th win at UTC, 1,000 career wins, another conference title and an NCAA regional appearance, what are some of the things that you can take away from a memorable season?
"You always like to reflect in the moment and see how you're going to take yourself to a better level. As quickly as we've won those championships, you've got to turn your attention to the next day. In athletics, you may achieve something today, but tomorrow is another day and you have to start all over again.
"We're just evaluating where we are. We've been fortunate to have been to the NCAA's many times, but we want to win a regional and make it to a super [regional]. We're figuring out how to do that. I'm a firm believer in that you have to do the basics over and over again.
"Sometimes it can get a little monotonous and boring, but those are what win championships down the road. We lost seven seniors, but we have one of our best recruiting classes in recent years, so we're excited in how that will play out."
What impact can that recruiting class make for next season?
"Well, when we recruit those kids, softball can be a crazy sport because we're getting verbal commitments two years out. You have to put together a class based on your needs, whether it's a pitcher, catcher or outfielder. Then, you just try to tie that together and see where that class will go.
"This year's class has some players that are multi-talented, where they are utility players that can play in different places. That is going to be big for us, and we feel like we're bringing in seven people that can contribute right away. Hopefully, that will be something that can take us in a different direction.
"Each year brings new faces, and you may start off on a different path than you planned. We're trying to transition into more of a speed game. We've been there before and there are a lot of schools that have dropped that and are relying more on the power game. It has always been my philosophy to have a combination of that speed and power. It's pretty neat if you can find some players that can do both."
How will the combination of the new faces coming in with the returning upperclassmen help your team's chemistry?
"We have 12 players returning and we're excited. Everyone has anticipation on how they will be, but you won't know until you actually get them on the field. It can have two effects. It can measure well like last year's team, which may have been one of the best I've had in my 14 years here as far as coming together.
"We had players that were willing to play roles, and you have to have that to make others better. That's one of the reasons I believe we had such as successful season. Now, fast-forwarding into bringing in new faces, new personalities and new work ethics, then you have to see how that plays out.
"Everybody comes in with anticipation that they are going to play, and if you're fortunate to come in and play as a freshman, then that can be pretty cool. With the upperclassmen that have longevity, that doesn't turn into a starter. The quicker we can embrace the team concept, then the quicker we are to become successful."
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| The Mocs celebrate their 2015 SoCon Tournament Championship |
After being ranked in the top 50 in the NCAA RPI, how does that help your team grow from the competitive aspect?
"We do that year in and year out because we don't run from anybody. We are always trying to get better, and obviously the early competition with those top teams make you better from conference play. We go into a game not necessarily looking at teams as far as the level they play on, but we look at them as a team that we could possibly face in a regional or super regional.
"We beat two top-25 teams, and it just so happened that we faced one of those teams in a regional. It gives us confidence, and gives us the idea of the stage you need to be on in order to reach that next level."
What are some specific things that you all are working on during the offseason?
"Obviously we have summer workouts, but this year we're doing it a little different. We are letting them tell us what they've done via a text or an email. We know what they are supposed to be doing, but it just gives them that accountability.
"We always do a sort of test to see where they are physically and athletically as far as those things go. This year, we're probably going to push them harder than what they are maybe used to."
In your coaching career, do you still find yourself learning new things every year?
"I do. I think it's more in the concept of learning how to deal with the players. I don't think the basic parts of the game have changed. Pitchers still pretty much throw the same way and hitters hit the same way. I think the concept of coaching changes depending on the situation.
"Some things may work as far as the overall team concepts, but for me, it's more about the personnel and trying to get them to mesh as a team. Some of my best teams haven't necessarily been the most talented, but they were a team. I've also had teams that are very talented, but have not been as successful.
"For me, it's always about looking for that edge mentally and getting the kids to know that they have to come together and know that each one has a vital role to play in order to be successful."
What is your favorite thing about being a head coach?
"I love the recruiting process when it gets down the point where you know you're going to get that particular player. I like the interactions with the players and their families. Of course, the easy times are when we are actually playing. Overall, I really like the interactions with the players and seeing them get excited for their degrees and playing college softball.
"I like to help them understand that it's a lot like a job, but that it still should be fun. Having a kid walk in the office and telling me that they made an 'A' on a paper that they thought they were going to fail gives me a sense of excitement too.
"Not everybody comes in as a 4.0 student, but when you see a kid who's worked hard and has done well in school, then that gets me pumped because you know that you are going to send them out into the world to make a difference."
