Rachel Lawson has led Kentucky to the College World Series eight NCAA Super Regionals in the last 13 seasons and a program-best 50 wins in 2014 but she knows she had to change her philosophy this season. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Rachel Lawson didn’t pull any punches when asked what it would take for her Kentucky softball team to be in position to challenge for a berth in the College World Series this season.
She cited “better communication, better defense, better playing as team” as things that had to improve after UK went 31-24 and only 8-16 in SEC play last season.
However, Lawson — who has taken UK to 16 consecutive NCAA Tournaments — also pointed the finger at herself for what needed to be better.
“The last couple of years I have done a very poor job of coaching and the reason I think I have done a bad job …” Lawson said before starting to cry and having to pause.
Once she did recompose herself Tuesday at her team’s Media Day, she was refreshingly honest about herself and her program.
“It is really hard to be loyal in today’s day and age,” Lawson said. “In my attempt to stay loyal to people I recruited the team took a step back. I am no longer going to be that girl. I had to change.”
Lawson had to figure out that “my loyalty is to BBN and to University of Kentucky” and set standards to do that. She admitted she had allowed players not to live up to the high standards and were being “selfish” too often.
“Last year I saw it come to a head. I had younger players, bigger and stronger who should have been in the lineup but I had older players I was trying to be loyal to,” Lawson, UK’s all-time winningest coach, said. “In my attempt to be creative and be loyal at the same time and keep up with the super teams I did a really bad job.
“I am not doing that again. I am recruiting bigger, stronger, faster players. Players and parents do not allow a lot of flexibility any more. But I am going to focus on getting back to a blue-collar mentality and we are going to win.”
Very few coaches would admit they made that kind of mistake. Lawson did and her passion for BBN clearly showed with her apology for what she let happen.
Kentucky is not ranked going into this season and not considered an upper echelon team, especially after the graduation of All-American shortstop Erin Coffel. Lawson still has set high goals.
“I also want to win the SEC. I think this year’s team will be better than last year’s team even though we (fans, media) don’t know anybody. Somebody is going to be surprised. Either I will be surprised and it will not happen or the rest of the country will be surprised,” Lawson said.
3 Responses
I have the utmost respect for Coach Lawson.
Same here, we have a fantastic softball coach–and I gotta be honest: just once, I would like to hear Mark Pope say the very thing Coach Lawson just said: " I am going to recruit bigger, stronger, faster players. I am going to get back to a blue-collar mentality, and we are going to win now." Coach Lawson has her eyes on the prize, and she knows what she wants. I tell ya, the high-level COACHING and the TOUGHNESS FACTOR at KY has left the main, high-visibility sports like basketball and football and transferred to women’s hoops, softball, baseball, volleyball, soccer, track&field, and gymnastics. Let’s face it–since 2018, all of those "secondary" University sports have had more NATIONAL success, and definitely more success in the SEC, than the men’s basketball program has in that same time period. Football experienced its peak of success from 2018-2022, but the last 3 seasons it has been on a gradual downward slide. And don’t get me wrong–I am thrilled to death for all the success of all these other sports. The run to the CWS for the baseball team last year was one of the most exciting and fun sporting events that I have witnessed probably since the men’s basketball team’s run of Final Fours back in the first half of the 2010’s. That was amazing to see KY finally just at least MAKE the CWS–thats something I have dreamed about all my life for the baseball team. Also, the run the volleyball team has been on the last few years has been very fun and exciting as well. Soccer has had some exciting success, the track and field has been awesome, and gymnastics very good as well. This year there is no doubt that the ladies have the best and most exciting basketball team in Lexington, and I think as we start to roll thru FEB and get closer to March that the attention and excitement is going to shift on the bball from the men to the women. If u want to see exciting and successful bball in March from KY this year, I think it’s going to have to come from the ladies. I am really excited to see how far they will be able to go this year. And same for the softball team–maybe this will be Coach Lawson’s year to make the CWS!!! GOOD LUCK–and can’t wait for the season to start!!!
James, I respect the comments you made, but I think as far Pope situation you not giving him time to get the program back we’re it belongs. I told myself it would take him 2-3 years max get to have we’re it should be when he got hire Cal left the program in shambles and he will get it done in time not overnight that some people expected. He’ was thrown in a fire with the tough SEC and the SEC commander didn’t help by giving us the toughest SEC schedule which is hogwash. Let the man recruit and that will help more than anything