Greenbrier softball's Kyle Cartledge looks forward to future after loss to former team

Kyle Cartledge saw it as any other game.

After departing Grovetown’s softball program in the offseason to be the head coach of Greenbrier’s squad, he knew he’d eventually have to face his old team. His players understood the moment, asking him how he felt leading up to the game. Cartledge assured them he was alright, saying it was simply any other game.

But as he saw his former players and other familiar faces prior to first pitch, that’s when it hit him.

“Right before the game, I think I started feeling it,” Cartledge said.

The Lady Pack (5-3) would go on to lose to the Lady Warriors (7-1) 8-2 on Tuesday evening. After a relatively quiet game offensively, Grovetown would score seven runs in the fifth inning to break the game wide open. Senior pitcher Josalyn Sergent had six strikeouts in seven innings while also batting 2-or-4 with two home runs.

Cartledge surely wasn’t shocked by the talent on Grovetown’s side. He went 73-26-1 during his three-year stint as head coach for the Lady Warriors. Many of those players he faced he watched develop as freshmen. But when Greenbrier had a head coaching vacancy, it already had somebody in mind.

“Greenbrier was very interested in me coming over,” Cartledge said. “And I think it speaks volumes when someone really wants you to come somewhere.”

When Greenbrier made its pitch, what appealed to Cartledge the most was the standard that was ingrained in the players by former head coach and the school’s athletic director Jason Osborn. 

The players consistently practice at such a high level. Cartledge has never had an issue with them skipping a practice or slacking off. That isn’t always guaranteed at the high school level, and he certainly appreciates it.

Arguably what excites Cartledge even more is that over half of his roster is composed of underclassmen. Sure, he understands how talented his juniors and seniors are. But getting to not only coach the younger players, but also growing alongside them in the Greenbrier community is something he takes pride in.

“It’s going to be very fun to see what they’re able to do over the next couple years,” Cartledge said. “I think the future’s very bright.”

Last year, Cartledge took Grovetown to the Sweet Sixteen of the state playoffs before falling in a three-game series. He’s looking to bring that type of success to Greenbrier, which hasn’t had a 25-win season since the 2018-19 season. To do so, he’s preached two things in particular to his team.

“You’ve got to work hard, and you have to find a way to get better every day,” Cartledge said. 

On Sept. 13, Grovetown will host its former coach and Greenbrier. Cartledge said that the emotions probably won’t be any different than they were in their initial matchup. With both games being non-region, they serve as tune-ups for region play more than anything else.

But even though facing his old team isn’t giving any extra motivation, he still wants to get the next one just as bad as he did this one.

“I think in a couple weeks when we go there, we’ll be even more ready, and we’re going to bring the fight [to them].”

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Greenbrier softball head coach Kyle Cartledge loses to Grovetown