GREEN RIVER — With a new season on the horizon, the Green River Wolves softball team is preparing to take the field under the leadership of first-year head coach Mark Hyde. After serving as an assistant coach for the past four seasons, Hyde steps into the head coaching role with a focus on more than just wins and losses.

“Coming into this season, our coaching staff is focused on building our players, not just as athletes, but as people,” Hyde said. “We’re emphasizing effort, character, and accountability because we know that if we take care of those things, success on the field will follow.”

The Wolves enter the season with a strong senior class, featuring seven returning players. Among them, Kodi Allred and Izzy Kelley have already committed to playing at the collegiate level, a testament to their skill and dedication. Haidyn Terry, a four-year starting pitcher, brings valuable experience to the circle, while Chacee Shiner and Ally White add power at the plate and strength in the field. Danielle Maag (Merida) provides versatility, and Emma Rieck has shown the most improvement heading into the season.

“I’m really excited about this senior class and can’t wait to see what they do this year,” Hyde said.

Hyde believes the Wolves have the potential to make big plays on both sides of the ball but emphasizes the importance of consistency.

“Defensively, we have the ability to make some big plays, but our success will come down to making the routine plays consistently—that way, we’re not relying on big moments to bail us out late in games,” he said. “Offensively, we know we can put bat on ball, but it’s all about execution. We need to focus on timely hitting and being smart, situational hitters so we can produce runs consistently throughout the game.”

The team’s offseason preparation has been promising, with strong attendance at open gyms and many players competing on travel teams. Hyde also credited Green River’s local rec league for fostering development and passion for the sport, especially among the incoming freshman class.

“We’ve had great attendance at open gyms, and a lot of our girls played on travel teams over the summer,” Hyde said. “You can see the impact of that with the nine freshmen who signed up this year—they’ve hit the ground running and fully embraced what we’re building.”

One of the biggest challenges the Wolves will face this season is handling the unpredictable Wyoming weather, which often leads to game postponements and long stretches without competition. Hyde knows maintaining focus and a strong team mentality will be key to overcoming these obstacles.

“In Wyoming, you never know how many games will get postponed due to weather, which can lead to long stretches of practice without playing,” he said. “That can wear on players, so that’s where our focus on team-first mentality, effort, and accountability becomes even more important. No matter what challenges come our way, we’ll keep working hard, pushing each other, and having fun along the way.”

The Wolves are eager to improve upon last season’s finish, which ended in a tough loss to Rock Springs at the state tournament. As the team prepares to take the field this spring, Hyde is confident in their ability to compete and grow together.

“We love this game, and we’re going to make the most of every opportunity to play,” he said. “No matter what, we’re going to keep working hard and enjoying the journey.”