Spring sports are just around the corner, and one thing I know some girls are looking forward to is softball season. Here is varsity head coach Dan Vitale’s input on the upcoming season along with a statement by senior Alina Bugenski. 

Coach Dan Vitale

BP: “Did you always want to coach high school softball or was this position something that just came to you?” 

DV: “This position is just something that came up, I applied for the University Detroit Mercy job and I was in the finals for that job, and my daughter told me to apply for Dakota because I didn’t get that job, so I applied for the Dakota job and got it.” 

BP: “Are you excited for the upcoming season?” 

DV: “Yes, I’m excited we have some great players coming in so we’re excited to see what we can do this year.” 

BP: “Do you think a lot of girls will be trying out?” 

DV: “We’re hoping a lot of girls come try out, we’re hoping we have really good numbers this year.” 

BP: “Do you think Dakota is going to have a good level of talent this year?” 

DV: “With us being Dakota we’re going to have a lot of talent coming in, so the hard part is how are we going to handle all the kids coming out, but we have a ton of talent and we’re looking forward to the season.” 

BP: “How is high school softball different then travel softball and college softball?” 

DV: “In college, we were able to pick our players, recruit them, in high school, you are getting the players that you have here, so that’s the only difference. I will be coaching the same way that I would do in college, but it’s a little bit different because I didn’t recruit the players, that’s the only difference.” 

BP: “I heard you have hitting going on in groups of four getting some first looks, how have those been?” 

DV: “It’s good, I’m doing groups of four and it’s more for me just to get to meet the kids trying to get familiar with all the kids at Dakota, so it’s not so much about the hitting part, it’s about me learning them and getting to know the kids.” 

BP: “What are you most excited for about the season?” 

DV: “I’m excited because I think we can go along ways this year in our first year so I’m hoping we have good chemistry and the kids work together, and if we can do that I think we’re going to have a great year.” 

BP: “How do you think all the girls are going to get along being all different classes?” 

DV: “It all starts with our seniors, and our leaders, and they will be our leaders, so it’ll start with them and they’re going to try to have a good environment and we’re hoping that trickles down to the underclassmen, so we’re hoping that we will have a great family atmosphere this year and with our parents have a great family after working together.” 

BP: “Since your first-year coaching varsity was supposed to be last year, does it make you more excited to be able to coach this year?” 

DV: “Yeah definitely because we missed our season last year and I was looking forward to that season, so with covid pushing us back I’m very excited for this year and we got, like I said great talent coming in, so very excited for the season.”  

Alina 

BP: “How does it feel to be your last year playing for Dakota?” 

AB: “I’m super excited for my last year playing softball for Dakota, I’ll never forget the friendships I’ve made with my teammates and the coaches I’ve had along the way. after season being cancelled has made me even more excited and ready to play on the field with my teammates this year.”