Softball season has arrived for the Brookhaven Academy Lady Cougars. They make their 2014 fastpitch debut Friday, hosting the Simpson County Lady Cougars. A junior varsity game starts at 5, followed by the varsity at 6:30 p.m.

The Brookhaven Academy Lady Cougars will begin the season with a new head softball coach as Becky Flowers has taken over the job.

Coach Flowers replaces Kaylin Lofton after two seasons. Lofton elected to leave to pursue a new teaching job at Wesson Attendance Center.

Flowers returns to coaching softball after a long period away from coaching any sports. She last coached at Belhaven as an assistant basketball coach under coach David Boteler.

The college didn’t currently house a fastpitch softball program, and they hired Flowers to start a program. So her fastpitch coaching career began.

Becky later got married in 1997 to David Flowers of Vicksburg and decided to pursue other career options.

She has three boys: Drake, a 12th grader; Dawson, who’s in the eighth grade; and Dane, fifth grade. All are in attend Brookhaven Academy, where they are also athletes.

When the need arose for a fastpitch coach at BA, Becky felt like her boys were at the age that she could possibly help out with the program and give back to the school.

“I’ve had excellent coaches throughout my career in both basketball and softball,” said Flowers. “I am former graduate from Bogue Chitto. So being competitive and having the will to win is all I know.”

Brookhaven Academy will have plenty of experience returning for first year head coach Flowers.

She will have four seniors: Olivia Lofton, Anna K. Smith, Morgan Walker and Olivia Thornton to help provide leadership.

Maura Dunaway, Alex Rae Smith, K.K. Jordan, Amanda Rushing and Anna Grace Covington will also bring experience to the Lady Cougars as returning starters.

“We have several returning players with experience, but we are still young,” said Flowers. “Our girls have been practicing hard for me since June 23 and I can already tell we are better as a team.”

“These girls have been working hard non-stop twice a day in this heat to prepare for the season,” she continued. “Our motto for this year is ‘Victories are prepaid.’ We are working hard now to prepare for the rewards later in the season.”

With 17 players on the squad, Flowers expects most of them to see playing time, either in the varsity or junior varsity games, or both.

Offense and defense will be the keys to BA’s fastpitch softball team success. Last year the Lady Cougars were 11-16 with a 5-3 record against District 5-AA opponents.

This year’s district foes are ACCS out of Natchez, Amite School Center, Central Hinds and Prentiss Christian.

Brookhaven Academy Lady Cougars 2014 Schedule

JULY:  25-Simpson Academy, 28-at Parklane Academy, 29-at Bowling Green School, 31-Trinity Episcopal.

AUGUST: 2-at Columbia Tournament, 4-at Trinity Episcopal, 7-Hillcrest Christian, 8-Parklane Academy, 11-Central Hinds, 12-Victor Home School, 14-at Hillcrest Christian, 15-at Simpson Academy, 19-Prentiss Christian, 23-at Parklane Tournament, 25-ACCS, 26-at Amite School Center.

SEPTEMBER: 4-at Victor Home School, 6-Brookhaven Acad. Tournament, 8-at Prentiss Christian, 9-Amite School Center, 13-Bowling Green School, 15-at ACCS, 16-at Central Hinds.