With a quick glance at her laminated, color-coded card, coach Courtney Budrovich yelled instructions to her pitcher.
“Green 18! Green 18!”
Elizabeth Woelich was laboring in the circle for De Soto in the Dragons’ first softball game of the season on Aug. 26. Sullivan, recent state champions (Class 3 in 2020) and hosts of the Back to School Classic tournament, dinged the Dragon sophomore for seven runs in the first inning en route to a 12-3 victory. De Soto went 0-5 for the weekend, also falling to Northwest, Capital City, Pacific and Eldon.
It will be a season of challenges for Budrovich and her identical-twin sister Brittney Krodinger, both fondly remembered by local softball fans for helping lead De Soto to the state Class 3 championship in 2014 and a third-place trophy the year before. Brittney, soon to be married and getting a new last name (Spraul), is the new head coach with Courtney assisting as the Dragons seek to rebuild from a 1-22 season a year ago.
If anybody can lead De Soto to its former glory, it’s these talented sisters, who also have their mom, Nicole, serving as another assistant along with Danielle Solomon. Courtney uses the pitching chart to guide a young staff of Woelich, sophomores Audrey Zebas and Kaly Zoph and freshman Kylee Turner.
“It’s a pitch location,” Budrovich said. “It could be a fastball, changeup, curveball, screwball, inside or outside. It gives the pitcher an idea of what I want her to throw. I call about every pitch.
“Last year I didn’t have a calling system and this year, the pitcher can miss her spot and give up a hit and I know what it was, (instead of) the girl hit a fastball outside and that was the call. Now I know to stay away from that.
“I learned a lot from my mom because she was the pitching coach when I was in high school.”
After graduating from De Soto in 2015, the Krodingers played for four years at the University of Northern Iowa. Steve and Nicole Krodinger have three other children, Andrew, Nicolas and Camren, all athletes in their own right.
Season-opening tournaments, especially in the typical heat and humidity, require coaches to provide something extra. When the heat’s literally on, it’s their voices from the dugout that keep their players focused.
“We’ve always been vocal,” Brittney said. “If you ever saw my mom or dad play (sports), you’d understand how they coached. My dad was very vocal on the basketball court and my mom was, too, when she played and coached. I just feel it’s natural.”
After Woelich’s tough first inning of Brittney’s first game as head coach, the Dragon coaches gathered the team to keep their chins up.
“That’s how it goes sometimes,” Brittney said. “That’s OK and we’re going to learn from it. We’re ready to battle and I think we’re going to be the underdog the majority of the year.”
In four varsity seasons pitching for De Soto, Courtney mowed down batters like a combine in a cornfield. She finished with a 53-15 record and 497 strikeouts in 407 innings, while driving in 144 runs and batting over .500 twice. Brittney, who played shortstop, drove in 103 runs and posted a .569 batting average, the best for either of them, as a junior in 2013. When the head coaching job opened up, Brittney stepped forward with her sister’s full support.
“I told her to go for it and I’d be her assistant every day,” Courtney said. “She has more experience than me and I’m comfortable to be assistant while I give my two cents. It’s fun bringing in my new last name to the passion I’ve had my whole life.”
Taking over the team was an easy decision for Brittney.
“I see myself being here for a long time,” she said.
The rebuild will take a while. The Dragons haven’t won a game in more than a year. Brittney said the 2022 squad has speed on the bases and the ability to get extra-base hits.
“I have a range of girls who can make solid contact,” she said. “We are working on knowing where to place the ball and what situations it would work best for our team. I trust every girl in my lineup to be able to steal a few bags this year on the base paths.”
She added that she’s seen Woelich turn the corner as a pitcher and a batter.
“We have a young pitching staff, but that doesn’t mean these girls won’t put up a fight,” Brittney said.
One of the players the De Soto coaches will depend on the most is senior Cameron Hayes-Gowen, who plays second base and in the outfield and hit .358 last year.
“She comes to practice every day ready to go,” Brittney said. “She may not be a verbal leader, but she truly leads by example. She will do whatever it takes for the team and what is best for the team, and I couldn’t be more happy to be able to coach her these past two years. I am excited to see what she will do for her final season as a Dragon.”
Other position players for De Soto include Zebas at first and third base, juniors Ella DeClue at shortstop and Alehsyn Zinn at catcher and in the outfield, and seniors Dusdea Schrameyer (third and first) and Madilyn Pogue (outfield).
“I also see Ella making a huge contribution this year,” Brittney said. “She truly comes ready to learn and leads by example, but she will use her voice when she needs to. I love how she takes on new challenges and is ready to face them head on. I am excited to see what she will bring to the team this year.”