Arizona high school softball connects coaches, daughters on field

The coaches try not to show favoritism. The daughters they coach know they're probably being pushed harder than other players on the team. But, in the end, after they leave the field, the memories created between parent-coaches and their daughters are what matter most.

Kandice Tiggas, an assistant softball coach at Empire in Vail, helps lead her daughter, Kapri, a sophomore. She was 4 when she started following her mother around the Empire softball program.

"She's grown up on the field over there," Kandice said. "There was one year when she first started playing, when I started coaching her team, I learned from mentors who had daughters on the team. I made sure I did it right. I'm Coach Kandice on the field. And I'm mom off the field.

"There's not more pressure added to her. We've been able to talk through it and walk through it, and build a good relationship on and off the field."

There is a video of Kapri as a little girl, in 2017, watching over a railing at Arizona State's softball field as Empire got the last out to win its second state softball championship. The first was in 2015. The Ravens have now won four 3A state titles, including the past two.

"I'm really just one of the players," Kapri said. "I think ever since she started coaching me, she was strictly mom at home and coach on the field."

Kapri was a starting first baseman on last year's state title team. It might be harder to win state again with eight seniors who graduated from last year's team.

"It's always a challenge," Kapri said.

Dads coaching daughters

At Chandler Valley Christian, there are two dads coaching their daughters.

Head coach Michael Fraley's daughter is Makay, one of the top players in the state, who has been battling an injury this season that has kept her from pitching. Assistant coach Jared Kremlacek's daughter Leigha carried the Trojans in the circle.

Fraley also coached his oldest daughter, Madison, who played at Harding University and is now part of his coaching staff at Valley Christian.

"So quite the family affair," said Michael Fraley, who this season passed 100 career wins. "Makay and Leigha have grown up in the club world playing for Jared and I since they were 11 years old."

Many teams these days have rosters filled with players who play year-round in club and travel softball. For the Valley Christian coaches, that means more time with their daughters.

It shows at Valley Christian and Empire, which might wind up meeting for the 3A title in May. Valley Christian is 17-3. Last year, the Trojans went 25-4-1, before the season ended in a 4-3 loss to Yuma Catholic in the quarterfinals.

Yuma Catholic ended up losing to Empire 1-0 in eight innings in the final. That capped a 28-1 season for Empire, which was 19-5 this season as of April 16.

"The high school softball world has changed so much since I started 10 years ago," Michael Fraley said. "When I first started as an assistant, I think we had one girl who played club. This year we have 12.

He's seen the impact that has made.

"I truly am not sure how I feel about playing year-round but you are finding more and more girls are doing and it has had a huge impact on the level of play across the state," he said, particularly in Tucson and rural Arizona.

"The (Phoenix) metro schools in 3A are trying to keep up with the rural schools in softball and you are finding more and more girls travel to the Valley multiple times a week to be on some of the best club teams during the fall and summer."

Heritage Academy Laveen coach Steve LaDrigue started Team Hustle in Laveen about 10 years ago, and his high school program has prospered from that, capturing the 2A title the last two years.

He has coached all three of his daughters, with his youngest, Amaya, now a senior, already part of two AIA titles. His two oldest daughters, Angelique and Taniyah, played on Canyon Athletic Association state championship teams for their dad before Heritage joined the AIA.

"I've won a state championship with each of my daughters, and it's been a blessing," Steve LaDrigue said. "When I think about it, it's unique to me. Why has God blessed me with this? To win with my daughters three times, it's been amazing."

Amaya, a first baseman, has been inspired by her older sisters and couldn't wait to be part of championships for her dad. She remembers watching her sister Taniyah hit a home run in the state final.

"It was cool watching them play, and them coming to watch me play is cool, too," Amaya said.

As far as being coached by her dad, Amaya believes he yells at her more than anybody else.

"But I'm used to it," she said, laughing.