Randy Smith
For the seventh time in the last 11 years, the Tennessee Lady Vols softball team is headed to the Women's College World Series. I have always been a fan of coaches Ralph and Karen Weekly and even though the 2015 season was supposed to be a "rebuilding" year so to speak, the Weeklys have the Lady Vols right where they need to be; in Oklahoma City and the CWS.
In fact, not only are the Lady Vols in Oklahoma City, but they're joined by four other SEC programs. Defending national champ Florida, joins Alabama, LSU, Auburn and the Lady Vols in this year's event.
Tennessee, the number eight seed, will face top seed Florida Thursday at noon EDT in round one of the tournament.
It hasn't been that long ago that schools on the west coast dominated women's fast pitch softball. UCLA, Arizona and Arizona State led the way with national championships practically every year. The tide has now shifted as the SEC appears to be the dominate conference in the game. Ralph and Karen Weekly have been a big part of that surge. SEC teams knew that with the Weeklys in Knoxville, they would have to step up their games just to keep up with Tennessee. It started in 2005 when the Lady Vols made their first appearance in the College World Series. U.T. had a record of 67-15. That was surpassed in 2007 when Tennessee put together a 68-3 worksheet and came just short of making the CWS finals.
You could be asking yourself, "How have Ralph and Karen Weekly been so successful?" That's very easy to see. They are both very intelligent people with a wonderful pedigree in fast pitch softball, and they have a tremendous work ethic. They are very tough, but very compassionate as well. They have been able to win with what ever talent they have, whether it be pitching (Monica Abbott) or hitting (a school record 99 home runs in 2015.) Since coming to Tennessee thirteen years ago, they have compiled an amazing 711-215 record. But they still have not reached the pinnacle. They have yet to win a national championship.
Two years ago when the Weeklys were inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Area Sports Hall of Fame, Ralph told me about a conversation he had with former Lady Vols basketball coach Pat Summitt. Coach Summitt simply told him to be patient. Winning a national title didn't happen for her right away either, yet when she started to win, they came in bunches; eight NCAA crowns in all. Even though this year was a rebuilding or a reloading year for Tennessee softball, the Lady Vols are as good as any team in the field, and in their only meeting with Florida this season, Tennessee scored a 2-1 win in the SEC Tournament.
I fondly remember in 2006 when I had knee replacement surgery, I watched every single game in the Women's College World Series. I couldn't do anything else but I watched every game intently and pulled hard for the Lady Vols to win. Now every late May and early June I make plans to be in front of my television set to watch the CWS again. This will be a special one to say the least, with all the SEC teams involved. You never know.....when you least expect it......this could be the year the Lady Vols win Ralph and Karen's first NCAA Title. I certainly hope so!
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Randy Smith has been covering sports on radio, television and print for the past 45 years. After leaving WRCB-TV in 2009, he has written two books, and has continued to free-lance as a play-by-play announcer. He is currently teaching Broadcasting at Coahulla Creek High School near Dalton, Ga.
His career has included a 17-year stretch as host of the Kickoff Call In Show on the University of Tennessee’s prestigious Vol Network. He has been a member of the Vol Network staff for thirty years.
He has done play-by-play on ESPN, ESPN II, CSS, and Fox SportSouth, totaling more than 500 games, and served as a well-known sports anchor on Chattanooga Television for more than a quarter-century.
In 2003, he became the first television broadcaster to be inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Area Sports Hall of Fame. Randy and his wife Shelia reside in Hixson. They have two married children, (Christi and Chris Perry; Davey and Alison Smith.) They have four grandchildren, Coleman, Boone, DellaMae and CoraLee.