April 14 is closing in and for members of the Liverpool softball team it can’t come soon enough. Fresh off a section final appearance for the 8th time since 1991, the Warriors look forward to opening day as they look to have another solid outing in 2009. Head coach Nick Spataro returns for his 20th year as coach and should continue to add to his impressive resume. Under Spataro the Warriors have won over 300 games and went unbeaten in 2003. He has been named coach of the year and in the past has guided his team to three league championships. Assistant head coach Korey O'Malley, who is a former Liverpool student, also leads the team and is now entering her fourth year with the team.
Not only does the team have a solid coaching staff, they also have solid players. Liverpool is made up of mostly juniors and seniors, with seniors Kayln Howard and Abigail Romano being two of the key players on the field. Howard and Romano both play the position of catcher and provide strong leadership to the team. Having a talented group of players is pivotal when faced with strong schedule such as Liverpool's. The Warriors were co-champions of their league last season and must win early this year if they hope to repeat previous success. They have several crucial non-league games against such foes as Rome Free Academy and Oxford Hills (FL) high school, and begin inter-league play April 21 against Fayetteville-Manlius.
The team has a long season ahead, facing a hard schedule and heavy expectations, but they also have experience and success on their side. Liverpool is prepared year in and year out, and this season should be no different as the Warriors could possibly repeat as league champs. Opening day will be an exciting day for the Warriors…but it's certainly accompanied by a little nervousness.
