At the closing of the 2024 season, Head Coach Peter Toscano retired from coaching varsity softball, clearing the way for a whole new coaching staff. Led by Head Coach Thomas Frawley, Pitching Coach Ashley Martin, and Assistant Coach Jessica Gallagher, Lynbrook softball saw some adjustments to the way the team was run. Practices could be characterized as “uptempo,” as said by Coach Frawley, who is looking to impact the team’s success this season. Coach Frawley explained, “[I am] very much impressed with Lynbrook tradition.” She is looking to build upon the already talented team that ended last season in first place with only one loss. Moreover, Coach Frawley felt confident enough to bump the girls up two conferences.
“I am very excited for the new coaching staff. I think this will be a good change for the Lynbrook Softball program, and it will bring about positive results in our performance levels,” explains junior and third baseman Angelina Macchia. Macchia, who is no stranger to the game, knows what it takes to have a winning season, and she knows it all starts with the coaching staff. Macchia asserted, “I believe that with our new coaches and our hard work, we will make it to the playoffs and become better players overall.” Additionally, senior and catcher Bianca LoBosco added that she is equally excited for the news coaches to help the players and assist in building the program. LoBosco feels confident that with the help of the new coaches, the team can have a successful season. “Coach Frawley is very passionate about the game, and I think he will be our best chance of going to the playoffs,” said LoBosco. Furthermore, the practices differ from previous years’ practices as described by LoBosco in that Coach Frawley incorporates more drills and is more structured. Ultimately, LoBosco feels that even though the coaches run a hard practice, they still have a good time throughout the work.
Head Coach Frawley has been coaching for over 35 years and is ready to bring his experience to the Lynbrook diamond to help the Lady Owls succeed. “I would say I’m highly energetic and highly experienced in the game,” said Frawley. Throughout his career, he has coached players at all levels, including middle school, high school varsity, and junior varsity. He has coached 37 total players who went on to play at the collegiate level. Through his time coaching Lynbrook, he has noticed that the girls are very motivated and are ready to learn: “The kids at Lynbrook [are] outstanding kids, and they want to learn and get better.” Coach Frawley further commented on the players’ work ethic and how they hope to have a successful season: “What I notice is they’ve worked very hard. They want to get [the job] done.”
Macchia reflected on the new practice style in a positive light: “Coach Frawley always told us he wanted to better our skills by practicing how we would play in a game. With this new way of practicing, it teaches us to work harder and adapt to change in the hope of advancing our skill sets.” According to Macchia, this way of practicing is an effective way to improve team performance.
Pitching coach Martin pitched at LIU Post and is a new addition to the LHS’s guidance department as well as to the softball coaching staff. “Having played in high-pressure situations before, I would like to help the team improve their ability to stay calm and focused when faced with adversity,” explained Coach Martin. She is further looking to build upon the two pitchers’ skills, both mentally and physically. Coach Martin said she aims to “…foster a positive supportive environment…” in the hopes that it will “…motivate each player to push one another to be the best they possibly can be.” Specifically, Coach Martin is looking to help them improve their confidence: “Confidence is key to a pitcher’s success, and I would like to encourage them to trust themselves, while working on consistency.”
Additionally, Assistant Coach Gallagher hopes to have fun, win games, and foster a positive environment that encourages the players so they can succeed. When asked about her plans on how to help the team, she noted, “I plan to focus on developing their skills through personalized and constructive feedback while being as supportive as possible.” Coach Gallagher felt confident in the players’ skills and said she knew that she had to collaborate with the other coaches to help the players improve their skills. Furthermore, Coach Gallagher appeared eager for the upcoming season, saying, “I am excited and optimistic about the opportunities this season holds for both the team and individual players. Being in a higher conference poses its challenges, but I am fully confident in this team to supersede our expectations.” Coach Gallagher has previous coaching experience ranging from middle school, junior varsity, and varsity levels. She felt this extensive experience would help her “…meet [the player] where they are…,” and from there, she would be looking to assess their skillset and provide critiques that foster improvement. Coach Gallagher stressed that she hopes to grow the players’ love for the game.
For Head Coach Frawley, he hopes to lead the team to a successful season that would, hopefully, include a postseason run. “Our hopes are to one, win the conference, and if that cannot be done, then secure a position and qualify for the playoffs,” said Frawley.
