The Dawn of a new era
Chally excited about new gig on the Lynx softball diamondBy Troy Banning, DFJ Sports Editor
POSTED: May 8, 2008
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Chally is scratching her head as her eyes roam over the infield dirt. Somewhere, underneath the soil, sit the posts that hold the bases in place, and with only a few minutes to go before her girls will arrive, Chally knows it's up to her to remedy the problem.
Not to worry, she found the bases. Crisis averted.
Whatever the problem may be, whether it is small — like finding those stupid bases — or large — like a five-game losing streak and a tremor in her team's confidence — Chally says she's ready to face the challenges that come with developing her program.
"I'm nervous and I'm excited, definitely both of those things," Chally said of the upcoming season, which will begin on May 19 at Carlisle. "But I'm ready."
Chally's coaching resume includes four seasons as an assistant coach at South Hamilton High School and one season as a volunteer assistant at Webster City. She says she gained valuable knowledge from both of her mentors — former Hawks' coach Jolene Voga and former Lynx leader Dave Hilton, whose footsteps she will now walk in. The two former coaches combined for more than 1,000 victories during their careers.
"It doesn't get much better than that, working with those two people," Chally said. "Jolene was always so positive and her knowledge and enthusiasm were just awesome. Dave has been so supportive and he was genuinely excited when I got (the job) and that meant a great deal to me because that showed me that he thinks I can do it."
Hilton took on icon status during his 25 years in the Lynx dugout, leading his program to 724 wins, 15 North Central Conference titles and two state championships. It would be virtually impossible to fill his shoes, which is precisely why Chally says she's not even going to try.
"He's one of the top guys in softball, so there's no way I can replace him," Chally said. "I'm not going to worry about people saying, 'well, he wouldn't have done it that way,' probably because he's been so supportive. It's time for me to step into my program."
Voga was a coach that built her own program into a juggernaut at South Hamilton, and she has no doubt that Chally can do the same at Webster City.
"I think she's going to be terrific," Voga said of Chally. "She has a unique ability to bring out the best in people and I think that's probably her greatest asset. Just being around her makes you want to work hard."
Hilton wholeheartedly agrees.
"I think Dawn will do a fine job and I don't have any qualms about her taking over the program," he said. "She's going to have a great rapport with the kids and she'll be a great leader because she'll be a positive role model for them."
Chally's coaching philosophy is a blend of both Voga — known for her enthusiasm and take-no-prisoners mentality — and Hilton — known for his discipline and tactical maneuverings that usually left his teams one step ahead of the competition.
"We're going to be aggressive," Chally said. "We're going to attack, but we're also going to do the basics and we're going to do the basics very well. I want the girls to have fun and enjoy softball."
Webster City's entire softball program will take on a new look this summer.
Tarin Bell, a former standout at South Hamilton, will serve as Chally's top assistant and the junior varsity coach. Melissa Pagel, a Webster City graduate who Hilton called one of the best players he ever coached, will be in charge of the freshman program, and Jama Hisler, another Hilton pupil and former head coach at Fort Dodge St. Edmond, will work with the eighth grade team.
Chally will get her first chance to show what she can do in front of the home crowd on Wednesday, May 28 when the Lynx host St. Edmond in conference play. There's no doubt that the butterflies will be churning in her stomach, and the stomachs of her family members.
"I could not do this job without the support from my family," she said. "My husband, Bill, has already put in many hours at the diamond and my daughters, Megan and Stacie, have been so supportive. They're a very important part of what I'm doing."
