HOBBS, NM---The University of the Southwest Lady Mustang Softball program takes the field this Saturday afternoon to begin their 2021 spring schedule. USW will be taking on NCAA Division 2 UT-Permian Basin this Saturday in a doubleheader. The contests will begin the Chris Petroski era for Lady Mustang Softball. Petroski took over the program this summer and is very happy with how the fall went for his ladies. 

"The fall semester went extremely well for the Mustang Softball family. We made a lot of gains in the weight room, got quicker with our conditioning program and saw improvements on the field on a weekly basis. Communication and reacting to different situations or when situations changes was one of the areas we worked on from day 1" said Coach Petroski. 

Taking over a program that has had 3 Head Coaches in 3 years is not an easy task. But adding the COVID-19 pandemic to it as well made for a challenging semester for Petroski and his coaching staff. "The biggest challenge with our roster has been to make sure everyone stays healthy. We reinforced safe practices by wearing masks, sanitizing equipment. We did a lot of work to prevent injuries the best we can with stretching and ice on a regular basis. Our roster size dropped from the fall, so it has been somewhat of a challenge moving girls into different positions on the field. I like having a team where they're all willing to step into a different position whenever the team needs them" said Petroski. 

Petroski is no stranger to softball in Hobbs as he worked for Hobbs High School from 2011-2014 before taking over Berea College. This fall was a great time for the first year Head Coach to start building his culture and program the right way. "When taking over the program, I am firm believer in hard work and do your job. You get the results of each day by what you put into it. The harder one works, the more successful they will become. Our players know what it takes on and off the field to improve on a regular basis. Building a family environment and atmosphere is a big plus when working as a team. The girls may know that they are having a bad day, but their teammates are right there to pick them back up" said Petroski on the program he is building at USW.