With spring just around the corner, we’re nearing the spring sports season. Rockets are going to start seeing lots of baseball, softball, track and field, boys’ tennis, girl’s soccer, and bass fishing. Coaches are eager to begin their seasons with a strong start and shared their upcoming thoughts on the new season.

 What are you looking forward to the most this season?

Girls track-Coach Cinnote: Giving new freshmen a chance to try different events and get to meet each other and have fun.

Baseball-Coach Christiansen: Being in the 3rd base dugout vs the 1st base dugout from years past. 

Boys Tennis-Coach Robinson: Good weather, we had a lot of matches canceled because of weather last season.  We’ve also got a solid senior class seeing what they can accomplish.

Boys Track-Coach Glaza: Seeing everyone grow, we have a really young group of kids, and seeing their progress from start to finish is great.

Is there anything particular you’re keeping in mind from last year for the upcoming season?

Baseball-Coach Christiansen: With a new coach, there come new expectations. It will take time (hopefully sooner than later) to get to where we want to be!

Girls track-Coach Cinnote: Dymyn (Preston)  and Ranaisha (Howard-Dunigan) just barely missed state and they should definitely make it this year.

Girls Soccer-Coach Fitch: We had a really good JV season last year with a record of 11-2.

Boys Track-Coach Glaza: The idea that kids need to be open-minded with their events and they need to not get so hung up on being a specific event athlete. Kids are gonna have to get used to trying different things

Who do you think your biggest competitor will be?

Girls track-Coach Cinnote: Metamora and Dunlap, they’ve got more kids on their team.

Bass Fishing-Coach Rolen: Our biggest competitors in the Mid-Illini would be Dunlap and Morton. They always have good anglers on their team. The biggest competitors within our Sectional are Warsaw, Illini Bluffs, and Rushville. 

Softball-Coach Sergeant: We have one of the toughest sectionals brackets in the state of Illinois but the biggest is Metamora, East Peoria, and Washington

What are you looking to improve in the upcoming season?

Girls Soccer-Coach Fitch: We need to find a goalkeeper.

Boys Tennis-Coach Robinson: I want them to get a better understanding of the game and solidify their fundamentals.

Bass Fishing-Coach Rolen: We are looking to improve our Sectional results and try to be in the top 3 to qualify for the State tournament.

Are there any changes you’re planning to make?

Girls Soccer-Coach Fitch: We’re gonna be a lot more offensive than in the past.

Bass Fishing-Coach Rolen: The only change that we are making is the locations of our tournaments. 

Softball-Coach Sergeant: This year we’re gonna depend a lot more on sophomore pitchers.

What should fans be on the lookout for this year?

Baseball-Coach Christiansen:  A few select home games the LYB travel teams will run out onto the field with the varsity team for the National Anthem. Also, the baseball program’s first golf outing will be Saturday, April 22nd at Coyote Creek golf course.

Girls Soccer-Coach Fitch: Lots of wins!

Boys Tennis-Coach Robinson: These guys are competitive, they don’t like to lose they don’t just play to play, they play to win.

Boys Track-Coach Glaza: We have a really fresh and good team of freshmen and sophomores that show a lot of promise and Cayden Bell also has a great chance of making it to finals in the 800m this year.