Members of 2015 Priceville High School varsity softball team are, from left, (front) Alexandria Shields, Destinee Hargrove, Mia Grantland, Hannah Wheeler, Kenzie Price, Bobbie Anne Mason, Kylie Millerm, (back) Kathleen Wheeler, Destinee Tanner, Reagan Spencer, Abby Hensley, McKenzie Parker, Heather Owens, Abby St. John and Sara Beth Wilson.

Priceville High School’s softball players have responded to a new head coach by setting some lofty goals for the 2015 season.

“The players got together for a retreat on a recent Saturday with the idea of me getting to know them and them getting to know me,” said first year head coach Preston Potter. “I talked to them about the system I was implementing and asked them to write down their personal goals, both as athletes and students.”

“Their first priority is to get better as players and as a team,” he pointed out  “They also want to win 15 regular season games,  be playing at a peak for the post-season and having a grade point averages of 3.2 or better at the end of the school year.”

“I was pleased to learn that we all are on the same page,” he added. “I’m big on setting goals and nothing would please me better than to see them reach the goals they’ve set.”

The Lady Bulldogs struggled trough a losing season a year ago, finishing with just five wins in 29 games.

Potter was an assistant football coach at Priceville in 2014 and was named head softball coach before fall tryouts.

A 2003 graduate of West Morgan High School, Potter earned a baseball scholarship to Cumberland University, where he graduated with a B.S. degree in education in 2008.

He was a baseball coach at NE Oklahoma Junior College in 2010, an assistant baseball coach at Alabama A&M University from 2011-2013 and was an assistant football coach at Brewer in 2013.

He is currently a physical education teacher at Priceville Elementary School.

The Lady Bulldogs have three seniors returning from last year’s team. They are McKenzie Parker, outfielder; Abby St. John, outfielder/pitcher; and Heather Owens, third baseman/ first baseman. All three are fifth year varsity players.

Juniors are Reagan Spencer, a transfer student from Decatur Heritage Christian Academy and Kenzie Price. Spencer is a catcher/outfielder and Price is an outfielder.

Other varsity players are sophomores Mia Grantland, catcher/utility player; Alex Shields, utility player; freshmen Hannah Wheeler, infielder; Destinee Tanner, third base/first base; Abby Hensley, infielder/pitcher; and Sara Beth Wilson oufielder/infielder; and eighth graders Kylie Miller, Destinee Hargrove and Kathleen Wheeler.

Miller pitched for the JV team a year ago and was moved up to the varsity at the end of the season. She is projected to be the team’s number one pitcher.

The Lady Bulldogs will face Westminister Christian, North Jackson and DAR as area opponents.

Potter said he expects hitting power to be strength of the team while knowledge of the game and confidence are areas of concern.

“This group of girls is easy to coach and has shown a lot of improvement,” Potter pointed out.

Holly Miller will work with Potter as an assistant coach.

2015 Priceville Lady Bulldogs schedule

Feb. 19 at Falkville (V) 4:30 p.m. 

Feb. 23 Gadsden City (V) 5 p.m.

Feb. 24 West Morgan (V, JV) 4 p.m.

Feb. 26 Addison (V, JV) 4:30 p.m.

Feb. 27-28 Decatur Tourn. (at Wilson-Morgan) TBA

March 2 Danville (V, JV) 5 p.m.

March Hatton (JV) 4:30 p.m.

March 10 North Jackson* (V,JV) 5 p.m.

March 12-14 CSBUA Tourn. at Vinemont (V, JV) TBA

March 16 at Brewer V,JV) 4:30 p.m.

March 17 Westminster Chr.* (V) 5 p.m.

March 19 at DAR* (V,JV) 4:30 p.m.

March 23-25 Gulf Shores Classic (V) TBA

March 31 Falkville (V) 4:30 p.m.

April 2 at Westminster Chr.* (V) 5 p.m.

April 6 DAR* (V, JV) 4:30 p.m.

April 7 West Point (V, JV) 4:30 p.m.

April 9-11 County Tourn. (at Wilson-Morgan) TBA

April 14 at North Jackson* (V, JV) 5 p.m.

April 16 at Gadsden City (V) 5 p.m.

April 17-18 Times Classic (V) at Florence TBA

April 20 Elkmont (V, JV) 4:30 p.m.

April 21 at Danville (V, JV) 5 p.m.

April 23 Holly Pond (V, JV) 4:30 p.m.

April 24-25 Hoover Classic TBA

*-area game