WILLIAMSBURG — It’s taken a while for the sports world to slow down just enough for me to take a look at what’s going on in and around the 13th Region.
Hopefully, I’ll be having more columns coming up soon, touching base on different issues while gearing up for the upcoming fall sports season.
Today’s topic?
Former Whitley County softball coach Angela Singleton.
Myself?
Singleton is going to make some school an excellent head coach or assistant coach.
She knows the game in and out.
Her softball IQ is top notch.
When she took over as head coach of Whitley County, she took over a program that was looking to become a district and regional contender year in and year out.
And that she did.
You can’t control student-athletes transferring. That’s just a part of the game, but what Singleton did do was continue to keep her program competitive despite losing some key players over the years.
She had the Lady Colonels on track despite participating in what many feel is the toughest district in the 13th Region.
During her time at Whitley County, her teams were going up against some of the best softball teams both Corbin and South Laurel has had in a long, long time.
That’s not an excuse, that’s just the truth.
In 2019, Singleton guided the Lady Colonels to 17 wins, a 50th District title and a run to the 13th Region Tournament semifinals before falling to North Laurel, 2-0.
The 2020 season, I had the Lady Colonels tagged as the region’s top team.
They returned five seniors and some of the top players in the region.
But add the COVID situation, and it wasn’t meant to be — season cancelled along with the chance of Whitley County capturing its first region title since 1996.
Believe me.
The 2020 version of Whitley County could have made a deep postseason run.
Singleton’s squads didn’t reach the region tournament the past five years, losing five games by only an average total of only 2.2 runs against either Corbin or South Laurel.
I hate that I won’t be working with Singleton but in the long run, I believe I will down the road.
She’s one of the best promoters of not only the game of softball but of her players and program.
And, she’s been a coach at the highest high school level in the state, coaching the East-West All-Stars.
In the end, someone will be getting themselves one heck of a coach — if she decides to go that route.
No matter what she decides, Singleton is a proven winner — you better believe that!
