STARKVILLE — Experience and knowledge of the game won”t be a problem for Starkville Academy”s new softball coach Kayla Mosley.
The former University of Mississippi outfielder was announced Wednesday as Starkville Academy”s varsity softball coach and assistant girls basketball coach.
Mosley takes over both positions from Jessica Dickens, who recently accepted a job to become head girls basketball coach at Winston Academy.
“She comes with a great background after playing college softball at Ole Miss,” Starkville Academy Athletics Director Glenn Schmidt said. “She played some very good basketball at Kemper Academy, where she played for a very good coach, Russell Cruise. We”re really excited about it. She”s very eager and is about to start working with her softball players next week.”
Mosley met her softball team and junior varsity basketball players on Wednesday afternoon.
Mosley, a 2008 Ole Miss graduate, started two seasons in left field for the Rebels. She played from 2004-06 before a foot injury ended her career during her junior year.
Coaching the Lady Volunteers will be Mosley”s first career coaching job. She”s an air traffic controller in the Air National Guard.
“I knew I wanted to serve my country but didn”t want to go active duty because I knew I wanted to teach and coach,” Mosley said. “I get to do both now. The Guard is so amazing about working with you and your every-day job. They work with you as much as they can, and me and coach Schmidt talked about that and will plan accordingly. We”ll make it work.”
Mosley, who starred in basketball and softball at Kemper Academy, played youth softball with Dickens and has leaned on her for advice on the players she”s inheriting and what to expect as a first-year coach. Dickens has been a coach for just three years, and last year was her first as a varsity coach.
“I think I learned a lot more when I went to Ole Miss as far as fundamentals,” Mosley said. “You would think that things would get less complicated and more away from the fundamentals in college, but it”s exactly the opposite. I learned a lot of stuff at Ole Miss that I”m happy to bring to Starkville Academy.”
Mosley said she”s nervous about the administrative aspects of the job, like forming schedules and how to order equipment. She”s confident in her ability to lead and admits she has a great new boss.
“Coach Dickens told me not to be afraid to ask coach Schmidt for help because she”s a great administrator to learn under, and I”m really lucky to have this as my first job,” Mosley said. “I”ll form some great habits here.”
Mosley inherits a softball team that went 20-11 last season, including a 3-4 record in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class AAA playoffs.
Many of the players from that squad will be back next season, including shortstop and leadoff hitter Mary Austin Barber, who hit .352 and stole 34 bases. Starting pitcher Julianne Jackson also will be a senior next season. She struck out 116 last season and also was second on the team with a .378 batting average and 32 RBIs.
Mosley will have a challenge in replacing catcher Bailey Wofford, a four-year starter and the team”s leading hitter at .616. Wofford drove in 104 runs.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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