Nothing like a returning experienced player to boost a coach’s confidence.

Area softball teams have enough experience to go around as the fastpitch season nears its start.

Fort Gibson may be best defined by its experienced roster, and Muskogee and Hilldale have veteran squads as well.

One area coach is so emboldened as to make a rather strong prediction.

“I look for us to be in be in the state championship with a chance to win it,” Muskogee coach Mack Chambers said.

Optimism abounds. But the Lady Tigers may have a little bit of an edge as three of their returning starters — pitchers Taylor Mills and Hayley Jaynes along with outfielder Brennan Miller — were selected to the All-Phoenix Team last fall. No other area school returns that many players who were chosen to the all-area squad.

Mills was 12-4 with 172 strikeouts in 110 innings, while Jaynes hit .364 with 29 RBIs. Miller hit .397 and scored 17 runs for the Lady Tigers.

The trio helped take Fort Gibson to the state tournament and a 26-10 record in 2007. The Lady Tigers lost a heartbreaker to Claremore Sequoyah after having the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning.

“That experience helped in the spring (slowpitch season),” coach Jerry Walker said. “Those three are outstanding, but we’ve also got several more players who can play with them. We also have some really good freshmen as we could possibly have 26 kids out for softball. The future looks good.”

Fort Gibson’s present doesn’t look too bad either. Particularly among the younger players.

“We’ve got a good group of juniors who just finished playing in different places all across the country,” Walker said. “We don’t coach summer softball because they get more playing time with other teams and that’s going to help us get better.”

Other returnees include Allison Cates, Megan Wynn, Jessica McClure, Kayla Jones and Rashell Bennett.

“I’m looking forward to the year and our schedule is going to be tough,” Walker said. “That’s how you get better. The first thing we talked about to the players is to not worry about records, just get in time for the playoffs. We have a lot of depth and good kids. I like our chances.”

Muskogee