Buck great motivator for PR

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When you’re surrounded by good players, Mike Buck insists, coaching them isn’t that difficult.

Maybe so. But all the talent in the world still requires a firm guiding hand, which was precisely what Buck provided his Prairie Ridge softball team this season.

The Wolves had more talent this season than most of the teams Buck has coached in his 14-year tenure with Prairie Ridge. They were skilled offensively, sharp defensively and led by a pitcher who flew under the radar entering the season, but whose reputation preceded her during the Wolves’ postseason run.

Prairie Ridge seemed to have it all.

But sometimes those are the most difficult teams to coach. Attitudes can arise, egos can be delicate and team chemistry can either be strong or nonexistent.

Buck insists he didn’t have any problematic scenarios with this squad, and the Wolves’ results would indicate he’s being truthful: A 35-7 overall record, a 10-0 showing in the Fox Valley Conference Fox Division, the program’s first Class 4A regional championship, a sectional title and a berth in the supersectional before losing to eventual third-place finisher Fremd.

So why did the Wolves need Buck anyway, if they were talented and disciplined enough to coach themselves?

“He’s never overbearing and he’s always motivating,” junior outfielder Anna Patras said. “When we see him there for us no matter what, all the time, it makes us want to play well and do well for him. He considers our ideas for offenses if we have them. He is kind of stubborn, but he always listens, and he has a good bond with our team. We want to have him there.”

For leading his team in its accomplishments this season, Buck is the Northwest Herald Softball Coach of the Year, as selected by the sports staff with input from local coaches.

“When you have good kids, everything is easier,” Buck said, “and I didn’t just have good kids; I had great kids. It helped that they could play some softball.”

The Wolves had some success last season as a young but hearty group. They upset an extremely talented Jacobs team in a regional semifinal and made a run at the FVC Fox Division crown before settling for second place.

So Buck knew his team was capable of good things this year; he just wasn’t sure how good.

“I knew they had a great deal of potential,” Buck said. “But we had some question marks. [Left fielder] Anna [Patras] was coming back from surgery (on her shoulder), so we weren’t sure how strong she’d be, but she came back and played a fantastic season for us. I knew our pitching would be good, but Johanna [Turner’s] performance was unbelievable. I thought we would be competitive and then hope for the best. What we accomplished was wonderful.”