Softball welcomes new head coach

Drew Gager, Staff Writer • September 19, 2018

Coach Brittany Lee enters her first year as the leader of the Lady Leopards.

Last year she stood in the opposite dugout opposing Lovejoy. Now she’s coaching the Leopards on the softball diamond.

Softball coach Brittany Lee was familiar with Lovejoy before applying for the open coaching position as she coached at North Forney for three years and spent a year at Coppell.

“We were actually in the same district as Lovejoy and played against them [while at North Forney],” Lee said. “Throughout coaching, I got to know [former head coach Jeff] Roberts, and I always knew what a great program this was.”

Lee said her choice to join the softball program went beyond the diamond.

Grace Nguyen
Lee has experience coaching at North Forney and Coppell.

“Coming in to being a head coach, I didn’t want to just go anywhere just to get some head coach experience,” Lee said. “I wanted to find a high school where I could really make a home. The parents are great, the kids are phenomenal here, and just the high school itself is just a really high achieving place.”

Lee played softball as a child and said the mentors she met along the way inspired her to be a coach.

“I had some really good coaches growing up that took really good care of me, and they just really made a difference in my life,” Lee said. “I knew that I wanted to have the opportunity to do that someday and just give back to the people and the profession that did so much for me.”

Roberts said he is confident in Coach Lee and has great expectations for the softball program this year.

“Coach Lee is a young and energetic coach who will get the young ladies to perform at a very high level,” Roberts said. “Coach Lee has a passion for the game of softball, and that will be seen in the way she coaches our team here. I am excited to watch all of the young ladies compete this spring.”

A lot of things changed for the team this year, including a much harder offseason, but that’s what makes Lee even more excited this year.

“I came in with a really tough offseason program,” Lee said. “The girls have just taken to it really well and they’re working really hard. There is so much potential and I feel like every day I’m just so much more ready for [the season] to be here.”

About the Contributors

Drew Gager, Staff Writer

During his first year with The Red Ledger, sophomore Drew Gager will contribute as a staff writer. His hobbies include golfing and playing video games. He loves to watch football and wants to be a NFL analyst when he grows up. He joined The Red Ledger staff so he could pursue his dreams to be on ESPN and talk about football all day long.. His favorite movie is “Hateful Eight” and he doesn’t have a favorite actor because he believes Samuel L. Jackson, Will Smith, and Denzel Washington are all the best actors of all time. He plans on going to Oklahoma University to major in journalism. After Drew has made five hundred billion dollars doing something (to be determined), he will spend it all on junk food. Drew is a part of a big family at home. He has two sisters and one brother at home, and he knows being a part of The Red Ledger family will be a great experience.

Grace Nguyen, Section Editor

Fueled daily by three iced vanilla coffees, standing at 5’2”, Grace Nguyen will walk into the E103 door with no problem. Grace is entering senior year, and the only reason she is believed to have survived high school is because of the napping couch in the photography studio. During her time on staff, Grace has been to almost every football game, win or loss, and wouldn’t have changed a thing. Yes, Grace has been tackled by football players, run over by coaches, and body slammed by referees. Nonetheless, Grace will confidently walk on the field this year, bruises and all, alongside her sideline media team. Stepping outside the newsroom, which is rare, Grace enjoys playing softball, hanging out with family and friends, and finding excuses to go to every $3 Pazookie Tuesdays at BJ’s. After high school, Grace hopes to pursue a career in sports photojournalism, so watch out for her still getting run over by athletes on ESPN in the years to come. Although it’s bittersweet to leave newspaper upon graduation, Grace is thankful for all the opportunities that she’s had on staff. Through The Red Ledger, Grace created long-lasting friendships and won a lot of awards that she never imagined was possible. Grace hopes that current and future staffers will think of this national-award-winning publication the same way as she did–a second family and their home away from home.