PREP GIRLS SOFTBALL: ROYAL KNIGHTS (1A)

Head coach: Peter Christensen (First year)

2010 overall record: 5-14

2011 league record: 4-8

2011 postseason: None

Number of returnees: Six

ROSTER: SENIORS - Terin Gonzales and Shanna Seely, JUNIORS - Maria Garcia,  Lindsey Christensen, Stefhany Guadarrama, Gladys Meza, Cambree Harris and Madison Stakkeland; SOPHOMORES - Lanea Clouse, Samantha Cera, and Hailey Delgado.

OUTLOOK: A once strong program, the Royal Lady Knights hope to break a recent slump in play under a new direction.

Peter Christensen takes over as the head man, and says he has been a long-time member of the bat-and-ball fraternity. He is looking forward to the challenge of putting the Lady Knights back on top.

"Our goal is to improve over last year," the coach said. "I believe we only won five games last year, but we have a lot of players that participated on the varsity last year so more should be expected from them.  My goal is to go 10-10 and make the district playoffs. That is all attainable."

The team only has two seniors so they may lack experience but the coaching staff has a core of players they can groom over the next few campaigns, starting now.

"We are a young team with only two returning seniors from last year, but most of the varsity for this year were active participants on last years squad," Christensen said. "Our girls are willing to work hard and are quite coachable which will make it possible to make the needed changes for this year."

Royal has some strong players to count on including catcher Maria Garcia who should be more comfortable in the position after spending most of 2010 behind the plate.

Senior, Gonzales will be one of the team's bigger hitters if all goes according to plan and Lindsey Christensen returns to play after missing most of last year due to injury.

"Lindsey will be one of the main throwers this year and has good velocity," coach Christensen said. "But she is a little out of practice after her limited time last year."

Stefhany Guadarrama will take on the role of shortstop after playing mostly in the outfield last year and Shanna Seely is a three-year starter who will be counted on for a big bat.

"We are young and will have several sophomores being put in challenging spots," Pete Christensen said. "Time will tell how they hold up to the added pressure."

After a few seasons of play that most of the players and coaches wish not to reflect on, it is time for a future Lady Knights program to emulate what they are usually familiar with - winning.