NEW PALESTINE — All Ed Marcum can do is pass the time.
With spring sports in a holding pattern through the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Indiana Softball Hall of Fame coach has spent a few evenings cruising on his motorcycle.
He still goes to work everyday at The Links Golf Club in New Palestine, but what the Dragons’ softball coach hopes will happen sooner rather than later is having his whole day booked.
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“The way my spring normally is, I go to the golf course early, I go hard all day and then rush to practice or a game and get home late. I get up and do it again,” Marcum said. “Obviously, you love it, but now you take a step back and it really makes you appreciate pre-Coronavirus, what you did, but it’s an opportunity to spend with family and just look at things differently.”
The three-time Class 3A defending state champion Dragons are looking at every day differently. From their softball diamond still under construction to the possibility of no season at all.
At 29-3 last season, the Dragons captured their third consecutive state title, the first program in state tournament history to achieve the feat. The title supplied Marcum with his sixth state championship in his career, which leads all coaches in the state, surpassing retired Center Grove skipper Russ Milligan.
Marcum has a 414-62 record overall since 2004, but he’s 0-1 against the uncontrollable.
“It’s certainly disappointing. The longer it goes on, the more you really understand you miss the game, and you miss the players,” Marcum said. “When you look at everything else, though, it’s just a small part of what we need to do. I certainly understand that, and we’re obviously disappointed by that like everybody else, but I feel like once we get back, hopefully, it will give all of us a renewed passion for the game and how hard we work to be the best.”
The Dragons were one of the elites last spring ranked atop the state polls the past three seasons and a national power in both the MaxPreps and USA Today Super 25 rankings.
Now, the Dragons are trying to find ways to keep themselves occupied.
Recently, Marcum got creative and played a GIF game with his players, who are each working out individually however they can in preparation for a potential reopening of schools on May 1.
“My players are all bored. We did a little GIF game the other day, and I told them to send me a GIF that described how you feel right now. And, it was pretty funny all the different ones they came up with,” Marcum laughed. “I have a girl that works at Needler’s (Fresh Market). She sent a cartoon GIF of someone ringing up toilet paper, toilet paper and more toilet paper. I thought that was a good one.”
While having the opportunity to spend more quality time with his wife, Becky, and his daughters Michelle Hokl and Alyssa Dillard, who are both assistant coaches for the Dragons, Marcum also thinks daily about his seniors.
Michaela Jones, Reagan Hiatt, Sam Booe and Sydney Anderson have each been part of the program since the current state-title streak began.
“That’s a drag, and the thing is I have four seniors. They’ve been on every state championship team, so they’re 3-for-3. Obviously, no one has ever done that, but no one’s ever had the opportunity to go 4-for-4 for their entire career,” Marcum said. “We talked about that all winter, and the seniors were certainly looking forward to that opportunity. And it’s a shame for everybody.”
With four practices put in prior to schools being shut down on March 13, the Dragons have their junior varsity and varsity rosters set with one more practice needed to meet the IHSAA’s newly revamped five-practice policy.
Their field renovation project might not be complete for a May restart, but Marcum and his players will make due.
“Even though we haven’t played any games, when you’re the three-time defending champion, it seems like you’re getting something taken away that you have an opportunity to do something special,” Marcum said. “But like I said, in the whole scheme of things and people losing their jobs and business closing down. It’s a small thing even though it’s big to us.
“The girls worked so hard all year, and we were worried our seniors weren’t going to have a diamond to really call their home, but looking back at it now, it’s like, I just hope they get to have a senior year. It puts things in perspective.”
If the season happens to start in May, softball teams could face a shortened two-week campaign before the state tournament. Not ideal, but the Dragons will take it. If it is cancelled, Marcum wants to find a way to honor his seniors regardless.
“Whenever we can all get back together, if the season does get cancelled, and once our diamond gets done also, one thing I talked to (New Palestine athletic director) Al (Cooper) about was doing a big alumni game,” Marcum said. “I have so many players in college right now that got their season cut short, too. Maybe we can have a bunch of them back, so we can give the seniors something.”
