Coming off a 2023 campaign where the Governors posted a program record fifth-straight full season with a winning record, as well as a berth into the ASUN Conference post-season tournament in their first year as a conference member, Austin Peay State University's softball team heads into the 2024 season with high expectations and a work ethic to match. This is 'Dugout Dish' a blog where each student-athlete on the team takes an opportunity to write a post highlighting the goings on of the squad, beginning with fall training and continuing all the way through the regular season. 

Hey Austin Peay Fans! My name is Brie Howard, and I am a freshman from Burlison, Tennessee.

These past few weeks have been nothing but adventures every day. From waking up and going to weights, then practice, to just doing my first course at Fort Campbell.  

Fort Campbell was probably the best thing we have done to see how we work as a unit. When we first went through the course, we listened to the instruction then just went straight to planning things out. We did not really think about a goal that we should have. So, after our first round we finished with a time of 21:37. 

After our first round, the military's psychologist came out and talked to us. He asked us some questions about our first round, like, did we have a great plan, effective communication, and the biggest one was did we have a goal.

He then went to say, that everything you do you should be giving 100%. Whether you are in the game or in the dugout your job is to help the team in some way.

After we took what he was saying and applied it, we then made a goal and beat it getting 17:43. 

Leaving Fort Campbell, we learned many things that are important if we want to have a successful team. We learned how when things get hard you have to trust your team or when we start to struggle, we have to cheer even more than we were. 

Coming off of Fort Campbell, we only have one more fall game left. So come out and support your Govs this Wednesday at 2 p.m. Go Govs!