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Out of retirement
By JAMAL THALJI © St. Petersburg Times, published March 15, 2001 DADE CITY -- For a short-timer, Willie Broner Jr. sure does think long-term. Pasco's new softball coach says he is not in it for the long haul. Retired in June as the Pirates' boys basketball coach after 18 years and 305 wins, Broner was practically begged out of retirement to take over the softball program. As soon as the first qualified candidate steps up, Broner said, he's gone. But until then his mind is busy. There's a summer team clinic in Tifton, Ga., to which he wants to take the girls. There are other camps, for himself and the girls, and countless drills and practices ahead. Broner is determined to wring every bit of potential from this group. "See, the girls out here, they're only thinking about this season, about winning their next game," Broner said. "But I've got to think long-term. I've got to think about winning district and conference titles in the future. There's a lot of talent on this team, and if they work hard enough at it, they can be very, very good." It is that talent and potential that made Broner's retirement so temporary. With three freshmen starting, Pasco is 4-4 and hoping to climb above .500 in the coming weeks. "I've got speed on this team, I've got some good hitters," he said. "They're going to be a whole lot better than they are right now." Junior pitcher Christina Harris leads the team with a 2-1 record, a 4.50 ERA in 20 innings, a save, and nine RBI with a .308 batting average. Shortstop Heather Stroud is the batting leader at .400 with a team-high five doubles. Catcher Nicole Norris is batting .370 and has four RBI. It is this kind of talent that helped changed Broner's mind. "The only coaching I had anticipated doing was coaching my grandsons and my granddaughter out in the backyard," Broner said. Coach Jim Ward resigned in June, but his replacement, former Saint Leo coach Ray Carver, stepped down soon afterward. The next choice was former Pirate star Shamalene Broner, the coach's daughter-in-law and a Dade City Little League legend who went on to star at Florida State. But she had classes to complete for her teaching certification. Time was running out when principal Pat Reedy approached Broner -- repeatedly. "I wasn't going to do it at first," Broner said. "But Mr. Reedy asked me about four or five times. Then (designated hitter) Alavia Madani and Norris asked me. After they asked me, I told them I would try it out." The diamond has always been his first love. Broner coached then-Mickens High School to the '68 state title in the days of segregation. After his tour with the U.S. Army in Vietnam, Broner played ball at Saint Leo College. When he was hired to coach Pasco's basketball team three decades ago, he was just looking for any coaching job. Broner has had to adjust his style to accommodate two factors: gender and softball pitching. He didn't know much about either. "One day I was over coaching third base, and a girl got thrown out at first, picked off by the catcher, and I yelled 'You've got to hustle to get back to the bag!,' " Broner said. "So she just walked by me, and I asked her what's the matter? And she said, 'Coach, you yelled at me.' "I told her 'I wasn't yelling, I was just raising my voice.' " He doesn't yell anymore. Pitching has been the other adjustment. "The pitching is what's new to me as a coach," he said. "I don't know as much as (baseball pitching.) I've had to go to a couple of clinics." Broner has another, less worrisome adustment to make: nine positions, 14 players and a lot of parents. "The hardest thing is, all of them are pretty good," he said. "I wish someone could tell me how to play them all at one time."
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