By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

CARROLLTON – It was a warm, busy, and productive few days for LaGrange High’s softball team.

Sixteen members of the team, along with the coaches, participated in a three-day camp at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton.

The camp kicked off on Monday and went through Wednesday, and the players spent nearly 20 hours on the softball field.

“We were outside every day in the sun,” LaGrange head coach Gabby Heath said. “It was a little exhausting.”

The players received instruction from a variety of coaches each day from 9 a.m. until noon.

“It was related to hitting, defense, college preparation, and things like that,” Heath said. “They got to hear what college coaches look for, and that was really neat to hear that, and know what to gear toward with recruitment goals.”

After a lunch break, the teams were back on the field to play games, and Heath said that was a valuable experience as well considering the quality of the teams LaGrange was facing.

LaGrange played Rockmart, Northwest Whitfield and Chattahoochee.

“We were playing great competition,” Heath said.

The Lady Grangers put together a winning record last season, which was impressive considering most of the key players were freshmen.

Heath said the camp gave her and the other coaches an opportunity to see the progress those players have made.

“We started six or seven freshmen last year depending on the game,” Heath said. “It was important to see where everybody has grown. And we saw a lot of great things this week.”

LaGrange will continue with its summer workouts next week, and on July 22 it will be at Chattahoochee Valley Community College to play a handful of games.

Then on July 24 LaGrange will host Callaway in a scrimmage game, and official preseason practice gets started on Aug. 1.

LaGrange opens the season on Aug. 4 when it hosts Callaway and Troup.