When Ball State hired Tyra Perry, she had a luxury most new coaches don’t have — inheriting a team that finished 20 games above .500.
Perry was named the eighth head coach in Ball State’s history when she took over for Craig Nicholson. Nicholson, who spent seven years with Ball State, was hired by Arizona State in the offseason.
Softball has long been a prominent part of Perry’s life, and she was excited for the opportunity to coach Ball State.
“I thought it was a great school with a lot of potential,” she said. “I thought the program was in excellent shape and coach Nicholson had done a great job of creating a winning attitude and winning tradition.”
Perry always focuses on maximizing players’ ability, tracing back to her days as a player at Louisiana State University. The two-year letter winner credits her college coaches for helping her develop leadership skills that she still uses today.
“[Building a player’s ability is] just really trying to see what each player is capable of and letting them know what we expect that from them every single day,” Perry said.
Easing the transition
Though Perry’s coaching style differs from Nicholson’s, Ball State players welcomed her from the start.
“She was very personable and very friendly,” senior third baseman Audrey Bickel said. “She knows what she’s doing. So, it was an overall good first impression.”
All four seniors noted that Perry is much different than Nicholson.
They have embraced her leadership and understand she can help them accomplish their goals.
“She’s very patient with us,” senior outfielder Jennifer Gilbert said. “She knows if we don’t get something right. We’re given an opportunity to correct it and hopefully be better the next time. “
Playesr also cited attention to detail and accountability as helpful qualities that Perry has brought to Ball State.
A more laid back, quiet approach has kept Perry’s players excited for practice and games. They’ve also embraced Perry’s vision for the program.
“She’s very focused on us and that helps us,” senior Lauren Schroeder said. “We know she’s here to win and she will do whatever it takes to win and get us to the next level.”
Between the lines
When she took the job, Perry was forced with merging two different styles of play. Perry’s ideal offense uses small ball, a combination of speed and base running that can be successful without power hitters.
Ball State’s current roster uses power hitting throughout the lineup. Her 12 years of coaching experience, culminating in 342 wins prior to being hired at Ball State, helped make the process much smoother.
“This is by far one of the best hitting teams I’ve ever been apart of,” she said.
Perry’s one-on-one coaching style has driven players to buy into her team-oriented system.
“She makes sure that we each have our individual styles, and she’s not trying to mold us into something that we’re not,” Schroeder said.
Individuality is important for Perry in order to get the best out of her players. Teamwork, however, is an even bigger key.
Schroeder said Perry often gets excited at third base and will break into a “happy dance” when a player makes a good team play.
Moving forward
Perry will lead the Cardinals into Mid-American Conference play following a heavy tournament schedule to start the season. One of Perry’s early goals was to build a strong schedule, increasing the team’s chances to acquire an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
She said the transition into Muncie has been as smooth as the one on the diamond.
“Even just going to the people I’ve met on campus and in the community all the way over to my neighbors,” she said. “Just great, great people in the Midwest.”
Perry has experienced success and many accolades in her career and looks to continue this during her time in Muncie as the coach of the Cardinals.
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