SALEM, Va. – Virginia Tech softball was represented at Monday night’s Roanoke Valley Sports Club meeting in Salem with coach Pete D’Amour and All-American pitcher Keely Rochard on hand.
“Roanoke is so close to Blacksburg and it’s just an opportunity for us to say thank you for supporting us last year,” D’Amour said. “The goal last year was just to play relaxed at regionals and if we played relaxed then we had a chance to win regionals.” Virginia Tech would advance to the NCAA Super Regionals where they eventually fell to defending National Champion UCLA.
“I don’t know if it really sunk in,” said Rochard. “I’m kind of not surprised at all, it wasn’t a super shock that we went to Super Regionals because I knew we could do that.”
“In the fall at the end I said this could be a world series team and things had to go right and at the end of the year we were one win away from getting there so we’ll go back to the drawing board and see where we need to improve,” D’Amour said.
One huge positive heading into the next season will be the return of Rochard in the circle for her fifth season in Blacksburg.
“I just really appreciate these coaches and what they’ve done and how much they’ve helped us and me specifically and I just want to give that back and show them how much I appreciate them,” Rochard said.
“I’m thankful for her and for her to say she’s coming back to help the coaching staff and show support for us is a big deal, not just this year, but it shows kids that might be thinking about Virginia Tech that we do things the right way and try to take care of kids and care about them,” said D’Amour.