By Chris Cox

As Jacey Dauphin begins her seventh season as the Vici head softball coach, she’s led teams that have been made up of all sorts of ages and talent levels. But, arguably none of her previous teams have been as young as this year’s group. 

Vici’s 2021 roster is made up of mostly underclassmen. The Lady Indians have just one senior, catcher Dru McGehee, and two juniors, pitcher Jillian Parry and center fielder Cayce McCracken. While that youth is admittedly a concern, especially early in the year, Dauphin says age is just a number.

“To me, what grade you’re in doesn’t mean anything,” Dauphin says of her team’s youth. “I don’t have seniors or freshmen; I have ball players.” 

With the lack of experience on the roster, Dauphin isn’t talking to her girls about wins and losses, she’s just talking to her players about doing their jobs.

“My philosophy is do your job and the winning and losing will take care of itself,” she says. “Of course, we want to win the state tournament. But how do you do that? You do what you’re coached to do.”

While she might not be completely sure of what she will get out of her younger players, she does know what she has in a few of spots. Senior catcher Dru McGehee returns and will be a fourth-year starter for Vici. 

“She’s my catcher and three-hole hitter,” Dauphin says of McGehee. “She will be the leader for our program this year and we look forward to the impact and leadership she will bring.”

The other two returning starters for Vici are pitcher Jillian Parry and center fielder Cayce McCracken. Dauphin says she expects those two girls to also take on a leadership role this year.

As far as the young girls go, Dauphin says she’s really excited about a couple of freshmen, shortstop Cadie McCracken and third basemen Molly McGehee, the younger sisters of Cayce and Dru.