Softball: There's nothing soft about it
{Above, Coach Dale Odom, Sbumitted photo}
Fastpitch softball is an exciting and aggressive sport. It is played primarily by women, and is considered a most competitive sport. Davidson County has a number of softball stars who have made a name for themselves in the last few years.
In North Carolina, American Legion offered fastpitch on a trial basis in 2017. The first sanctioned season was in 2018. This was also the first season for the Davidson County Post 8 Choppers team. In that first season, the Choppers lost in the first round of the playoffs and ended two games under .500.
But that was only the beginning.
In 2019, the Choppers advanced to the final round of playoffs and finished third in the state. With Covid being widespread, the 2020 season was canceled altogether. The Choppers came roaring back in 2021 with a perfect 20-0 record and a win of the state championship, their first.
That was only a warm-up for things to come. In 2022, they went 15-2 and won their second state title. Then, to top it off, in 2023, the Choppers went 13-3 and won their third consecutive state championship.
The coach that has molded these softball athletes into a championship team is Dale Odom. He's coached a variety of sports for more than 30 years. But he landed in fastpitch softball roughly 15 years ago when his daughters started playing.
Odom is modest, and credits the teams’ accomplishments to the team and coaching as a whole.
“We've been blessed with many great players. Perhaps, more importantly, we're fortunate to have a strong and balanced coaching staff that emphasizes character development as much as talent development.”
He went on to say, “American Legion provides a unique opportunity for the most talented ladies in our area to push aside the competition of their high school seasons, and become teammates for the summer. We find that mutual respect is realized, and many long term friendships are built.
“For 2024, we lose a significant amount of game experience, but we're also excited about the potential of the returning group,” he said about the upcoming year. “Among our expected leaders are Riley Potts, Riley Hutchinson, Kayla Milam, Hannah Steinour, and Julie O'Neal.”
Post 8 Chopper Hannah Steinhour. {Contributed photo}
Regarding the future of Post 8 Choppers, Odom said, “We understand that other states are expected to join in the very near future. That's exciting, not just for growth, but also, because it provides a chance for a national championship.”
It has been said, “In softball, it’s not how good you are, but how good you want to be.” Without a doubt, Odom and the Post 8 Choppers have their eyes on a potential national championship.
