Local coach is breathing life back to the Ranger College Softball program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RANGER – Coach Shelly Paige is ready to turn RC Softball back into a winning program.

Ranger College Softball has a long and storied past. Beginning the program in 1986, Ron Butler created the team with success on his mind. Originally, he did not want to be the coach of the RC Softball team. He said he would recruit but did not want to coach. However, he fell in love with the players and their spirit and drive as he recruited them and decided to coach them after all. He took them to 302-55 in 10 seasons and led RC Softball to become national runner-up in 1987 and 1994. Hoping to follow in his footsteps on the softball field is new Ranger College Softball Head Coach Shelly Paige.

Coach Paige is from Cisco, TX in Eastland County. There she played multiple sports and was determined to do best in basketball. However, an injury shortened her basketball career. With a love also for softball, she pivoted and began coaching on the field. She was the softball head coach for 4 years at Cisco High School.

To get her new team to succeed, she and her new Assistant Coach Autumn Graham have a philosophy they feel will help them become a great team again. "Right now, we are building on getting the team together, and buying into the new system," Coach Paige said. "It is a slow process, but we feel this is the best way to get us back to a winning team."

Making the jump from high school to college softball is a bit of an adjustment. While teaching is a large part of a high school coach's schedule, recruiting takes up the time at the college level.  

Ranger College Softball is coming off a 0-49 record from last year (2022-23 season). At this point in the season, Softball is sitting on a record of 3-13. This is not where she wants to be, but she is already showing marked improvement from where they were just a year ago.

When asked how being from a small community influences what she brings to Ranger College, Coach Paige had this to say. "Ranger is a small town. There are a lot of small-town kids out there who would like to play at the next level. I feel that sometimes they don't get the looks that they should because of the small towns they are from. I just know that, from personal experience, a small-town kid can work hard, and compete with those larger school kids."

When asked what she brings that is changing the thought process from previous years, Coach Paige noted "I think we both (Coach "A" and myself) are very competitive and hard workers. We both hate to lose, whether it is a softball game or a hot dog-eating contest. We are both super motivated and driven, but we also like to have fun. The girls have gotten a feel for us now and know when it is ok to joke around, but also when it is time to really get down to business and work hard."

Overall, Coach Paige appears to be a great fit for Ranger College. She is very knowledgeable about the sport and will do all she can to make her players the best they can be – both on and off the field. Coach Paige, Welcome to Ranger College.