06/15/2018
What a great article by the Anniston Star! Congratulations to our #55 Maggie Phillips for being named the Calhoun County Softball Player of the Year!! The Alexandria Valley Lady Cubs had an awesome year, and the Anniston Star recognized both Maggie (player of the year) and Coach Brian Hess (coach of the year).
https://www.annistonstar.com/sports/high_school/anniston-star-class-a--a-calhoun-county-softball-player/article_943e73bc-7043-11e8-82c2-ef1f12505da2.html
ANNISTON STAR: ALEXANDRIA — Brian Hess gets the call often.
The Alexandria softball coach will be home, and someone calls to let him know someone’s in the batting cage after hours. His first guess … Maggie Phillips.
And then came the Friday between the area and regional tournaments, when practice wasn’t enough. Phillips left campus and went to another frequent workout spot in Alexandria.
“We’d had a pretty tough practice, and she went over there and did speed and agility drills afterwards and worked out about an hour or two hours,” Hess said. “It’s a totally different mindset. It’s almost like you see a fire in her eyes now that may not have been there a year ago.
“It’s just a different kid.”
The difference showed on the field for Phillips this past season. She was a force in the circle and at the plate, leading Alexandria back to the state tournament after 2017’s surprising miss.
She batted .366 with eight home runs, 16 doubles and 59 RBIs. Alternating with Emmah Rolfe in the circle, Phillips posted a 1.11 ERA with 181 strikeouts in 138⅔ innings, going 17-6 on the year.
Her hard work paid off in more than production. Phillips is The Anniston Star’s Calhoun County Class 4A-6A softball player of the year.
Question: What are your thoughts about your season and the team’s season?
Answer: As a team this year, we came together and played well together. My season, I completely made a 180 from last year, and I really helped because I knew my team had my back, a lot.
Q: Last year was your first at Alexandria after you and your sister transferred from Ohatchee. Can you explain the 180-degree turn?
A: I just didn’t pitch to my potential last year. I was just scared and didn’t play to what I was capable of.
Q: Coach Hess noted a real difference in how hard you worked this year, called it a “fire” in your eyes. What was that about?
A: I just knew that I had to step up for my team this year. This was going to be our year to really do something, because I knew that Emmah was going to be gone next season. I just wanted to be the person my team could look for in tough times.
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Q: What made the difference in your pitching this year?
A: I pitched a lot more with my dad and changed pitching coaches. I really just focused a lot more. Last year, I didn’t have the drive that I should’ve.
Q: What changed about your pitching?
A: It was probably speed and movement both. When I changed pitching coaches to Holly Currie — she used to play at Auburn — she helped make my spins better and tighter, and she pushed me to throw harder, too.
Q: Your power at the plate helped Alexandria make up for the loss of two power bats in Timberlyn Shurbutt and Jessica Shaw. How did you work on your power at the plate?
A: Me and my dad worked a lot after practice on my swing and making sure. I knew that we lost Timberlyn and Jess, and they were powerhouses, and my dad just kept telling me, “Your team is going to look for you in big times,” and they did. Somehow, some way, I wasn’t in a slump in the times they needed me.
ALEXANDRIA — Brian Hess gets the call often.
