SPLASH DOWN!!!!!
If you cover as many sporting events as I do then you learn quickly that post award ceremonies after Region sporting events usually lead to some interesting rituals. Ever since New York Giant head coach Bill Parcells was doused by a Gatorade bath during the 1986 season, it began a floodtide (pardon the pun) of after game activities and now it has become normal for head coaches of various sports most likely football, baseball or softball to get a bath afterwards. Capturing the event is just as tough because timing and the luck of the draw play a part. Since all of these are during softball games, you have to move fast if you want to catch it because like Hailey’s Comet, you won’t get a chance for a replay.
Here are a few that I was lucky enough to catch.
2006 – 5th Region Softball Championship – North Hardin @ Central Hardin : This one was probably the easiest because I was standing so far back. It appears like North Hardin seniors Alicia Ewen and Jennifer Kisselbaugh caught coach Donnie Baker at just the right moment.
2010 – 5th Region Softball Championship – Green County vs. Nelson County @ Central Hardin : This one was most definitely a different change of pace as the two assistant coaches chose to give the Lady Dragons a bath of their own after they won their first Region Championship EVER.
Congrats to Robynn Milby, who was one of the few coaches I knew who successfully escaped getting doused. The coaches got a kick out of it and the players really used this as motivation the next time they would get their chance for some payback.
2012 – 5th Region Softball Championship – Green County @ Marion County : This was coach Jeff Walker’s first season as Lady Dragon head coach and because the light was in the wrong place the shot does look a bit dark, but those are the problems with fast action situations. For Walker, it was to be the first of two such occasions.
2013 – 5th Region Softball Championship – North Hardin vs. Central Hardin @ Nelson County : Here’s what happens when you get when you catch the action from behind. This was Central Hardin Jaime Goodman’s first dousing ( I think he had taken over the coaching job at mid season in 2011 from Mark Martin and it was actually Martin who was doused when they won the Region that season) and because of the angle it’s always hard to see what’s going on. I would get three more chances with Goodman though.
2014 – 5th Region Softball Championship – Central Hardin vs. Green County @ Hart County : Easily one of the most amusing shots because the seniors chose to get a photo after the game with the coach and trophy so Walker was trapped. I love his and the seniors reactions afterwards because they really play it well. Usually it’s the seniors that pull this off, but in this case 8th grader Hannah Judd and freshman Zoey Vaughn showed plenty of courage in this case.
2015 – 5th Region Softball Championship – Central Hardin vs. Taylor County @ North Hardin ; This time it’s senior’s Shelby Maggard and Kelsey McGuffin who brings it and although it’s a shot from behind the lighting was better and made for a much better result.
2016 – 5th Region Softball Championship – Washington County vs. Central Hardin @ LaRue County : This happened at night because the game was delayed twice because of lighting, but it turned out great and once again coach Goodman takes it like a pro. After three of these, he’s an old pro.
2017 – 5th Region Softball Championship – Marion County @ Central Hardin : This is one of my favorites because it was planned well and even though Goodman (he now is a veteran at his 4th dousing)had to suspect it, he handled it well just as he always does. Meredith Jones, the trophy hunter really may have put a lot of body language into this one.
