Being born and bred as an athlete may put you ahead of the game by the time you are in high school, but determination, sacrifice, and dedication are what allows you to achieve your dreams of becoming a college athlete. Loren Luddy, former athlete and coach, has continued to pursue her softball dream since she was around six years old.
As a young girl, Luddy grew up with older brothers who were all involved in sports, along with two parents who were sports coaches. Luddy played softball and basketball all throughout high school. Initially during college, she went for basketball, but after a season, it wasn’t what she had expected, so she decided to pursue her passion: softball.
She has been coaching a multitude of sports for a long time as well. During her summers in high school, Luddy helped referee games. During college, Luddy coached softball in Middlebury and Southbury for teams who fell short of coaches.
Luddy teaches her girls about more than just how to play softball, as many of her players come in with softball knowledge already.
“Dedication is so important,” Luddy said. “You need to know that the season is a big commitment. Games are played over April break; practice is six days a week.”
Hustle and hardwork are two other qualities that Luddy believes makes up a strong team. She makes sure that her team is working hard all of the time, especially during the warmups.
“Regardless of role or position, everyone is part of the team. We need each player to give 100% every day,” said Luddy.
While Luddy’s wins have been consistent, she has faced numerous challenges throughout her coaching career, one recurring each year: April break. Since the team plays around two-to-three games every April break, there’s usually a lot of push back from parents who want to plan a vacation.
“There have been years where we’ve lost some people during this week, and we understand it’s time spent with family- but it has cost us a couple of games over the seasons,” Luddy said.
Another struggle Luddy currently faces is her JV team. While she has a strong varsity team, there are a lot less players on the JV team.
“We really do want younger, less experienced players on the roster because they can all have playing time and really improve,” Luddy said.
Despite everything, Luddy celebrated her 300th coaching win last season after just 18 varsity seasons. The team’s hustle and “do it” attitude has led to many wins, and Luddy finds it both contagious and encouraging.
“The girls have very good sportsmanship and have always understood that the other team are just players as well. What’s also important is the bond that they have, as many of them grew up playing together,” said Luddy.
To this day, Luddy is more than just a coach. She is still an athlete herself.
“I cannot imagine not playing sports,” Luddy said. “I still play softball and soccer with a women’s league to this day.”
