PVCC Puma Press: April 2006

The boys of summer may get all the attention on “SportsCenter,” but that does not mean the women of the diamond can’t make a few web gems as well.

Led by Andi Mohl and Whitney Chaffe, the Pumas have struggled to a 11-27 record, a mark which belies their talents on the field. Mohl leads the nation in home runs and Chaffe is the team’s clubhouse leader.

Mohl, the Puma on Profile this month, is a third baseman who is hitting .407 with 18 home runs and 43 RBI. She came to PVCC from Paradise Valley High School where she was recruited by PVCC head coach Jim Gibbs and assistant coach Phil Marin.

She has tried not to be discouraged by the Pumas’ record this season. “I don’t know why we have the record we do. I know we are better than that, but there have been times where we have just lost games in a single inning” said Mohl. “As a player you just never give up.”

A positive attitude and that ‘never give up’ mentality is exactly where coach Jim Gibbs thinks his team needs to improve next year. “ Our girls are talented enough to play with anybody, we just need to play better together as a team,” he says.

Coach Gibbs has been at PVCC for all four years of the softball program, and this is his first season as head coach. “I have seen improvement, but we still need to find that team unity to carry us through all seven innings,” Gibbs said.

One of the players he looks to for a voice in the clubhouse is Whitney Chaffe, a freshman catcher who can play anywhere when asked. “Her attitude is what will carry us next year,” said Gibbs. “Whitney is aggressive and intense, and I look for that to transfer to the other young players.”

Even with a losing record, attendance has been good this season, Gibbs said, and for those who have not been to the softball field, it is a beautifully maintained complex.

One of the players who regularly roams the outfield grounds, Kacy King, is another freshman who Gibbs expects to contribute heavily next year. King, Chaffe and pitcher Danielle Nulliner, who regularly throws at speeds around 60 miles per hour, will be the stewards of the “Team First” mentality Gibbs has tried to instill.

“I want the girls to come to the ballpark and know that in between the fences is time for softball and time for fun,” said Gibbs. The Pumas did not qualify for the regional tournament and will have no choice but to watch the pros on “SportsCenter” until next year, when they can practice what Gibbs preaches.