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Amesbury's softball success stems from Perry's training regiment

Thursday, June, 05 By Dan Guttenplan
Staff writer

I still remember the day I came to understand Chris Perry's success as Amesbury's softball coach.

Perry's coaching record — four state titles, 16 Cape Ann League titles, 459 wins and only 68 losses — spoke for itself, but sometimes, you need to see it with your own eyes to believe it.

I was covering an Amesbury baseball game at the middle school, but as the game progressed, I found myself fixated on a practice on the other side of the athletic complex. Perry stood at home plate as his players took their respective positions. Then, for the next half-hour or so, Perry hit ground balls to his infielders. Sharp grounders. In-between hops. They weren't going through the motions.

He started with the third baseman and moved clockwise around the infield. When a player executed a play perfectly, he moved on to the next player. When a player muffed a ground ball, that player got back in her stance and waited for the next grounder.

In the outfield, an assistant coach hit fly balls to the players with the same intensity. In foul territory in left field, the Amesbury pitchers whipped under-hand pitches against a wall as if the wall was an opposing team's cleanup hitter.

Suddenly, it started to become clear why the softball team had become the most successful sports program at Amesbury during Perry's tenure. Practices were harder than the games. No time was wasted. Every player was constantly working on her game from the top player to the JV call-up. Perry didn't waste time with any gimmick drills. He stuck to the basics. Assume your position, field your position, repeat.

Players learn from repetition. And when they don't, Perry is there to calmly explain the footwork and proper technique needed to execute plays to his satisfaction.

On that day, each infielder probably fielded 50 ground balls. Late in the practice, Perry called out situations (i.e., runner on first, two outs, tie game) and his players had to think on their feet. Infielders attempted double plays while reserves ran the bases. Outfielders hit the cut-off man, who stood in various parts of the field depending on the situation.

Nothing fancy. Just basic execution of plays that occur countless times over the course of a softball season.

I was reminded of that afternoon on Tuesday when Amesbury clinched its first EMass. Division 2 North final appearance since 2005. Even as the Indians mounted an 8-0 lead, the players executed plays as if it was an ordinary day of practice. Seven innings passed without an Amesbury error.

Even when the Indians took the field at the top of each inning, their bench cleared and the six reserves played catch along the right field foul line in case their number was called at any point. I'd never seen that before, but when I saw it Tuesday, I thought to myself, "That's something every team should do."

That's how a program stays on top for the better part of 25 years. Every player is expected to hone her skills regardless of whether she's playing that day. Even Amesbury's reserves gained the experience of stepping on Martin Field in Lowell and preparing to play in a Division 2 North semifinal.

It's always interesting trying to get to the root of continued success for a specific program at the high school level. Players change every year. Even the best players rarely make significant contributions at the varsity level for more than two years.

The Amesbury softball team certainly has a long-standing history of success. The Indians won state titles in 1988, '89, '97 and 2000 and haven't missed a state tournament since the last state title. In fact, the squad has averaged 20.2 wins per season over the last five.

But one need only attend one Amesbury practice to determine why this team is constantly clicking on all cylinders come tournament time. That diving catch Kerri Salvatore made in right field on Tuesday? She's probably made it three or four times in practice this spring. That complete game Jordan Oliva pitched on Tuesday? She's probably thrown that many pitches in 20 or 30 practices this spring.

Next spring, Perry will probably ask his players to take the field on the first day of practice. He'll likely hit 100-or-so grounders before he asks his reserves to take the bases. When it comes time to call out a situation, he might yell, "It's the state-title game, and we need one out."

Three months later, no one should be surprised if Amesbury executes that situation to perfection.