Clovis High coach Mike Noel made an executive decision before a softball road trip to Arizona three years ago.
Freshman catcher Nicole Reed was ready to load up in his van, and she was acting giddy like a true rookie.
"I didn't want her in my van for that long trip," Noel said. "She had so much energy and was talking all the time but not saying anything, so I put her in the other van."
Reed admits to being a little too revved up for her first varsity trip.
"I wouldn't stop talking but I was an outgoing person," she said. "Coach likes to put the quiet, more laid-back kids in his van, so he put me in coach [Tim] Douglas' van."
Noel and Douglas, an assistant who works with the catchers, found a way to harness Reed's energy. The four-year starter and Bee Player of the Year has developed into one of the top catchers and hitters in the state.
Reed caught three of the area's best pitchers in Clovis graduates Jennifer Reynolds (Penn State), Merryann Barr (Fresno State) and junior right-hander Rebecca Arbino, who's committed to Texas A&M. Reed and Arbino led the Cougars to a 29-8 finish and an 8-4 come-from-behind win against Central in the Division I title game.
Reed's two-run double in the sixth inning put the Cougars up by one and supplied the momentum for the team's first section title since 2003. It was a fitting way for Noel -- The Bee's Coach of the Year -- to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Clovis High softball and the Cougars' seventh section title since 1991. Noel's career record of 360-83-5 (.813) speaks for itself, but he was more excited about Reed's success.
"I've never had a kid who's grown so much into a leadership role," said Noel, who earned his fifth section crown. "Nicole's come a long way. That energy she has, well now she knows when to let loose and when to focus and get the job done."
Reed's extra work and the endless defensive drills in the sweaty gear go unnoticed for most catchers. Noel, who's a math teacher, kept track of her defensive stats. Reed did what no catcher at Clovis has ever done -- she never made an error in her four years.
"It has to be a record because she had no errors in over 800 total chances," he said. "It's the first time an everyday position player hasn't committed an error, and that's saying a lot at Clovis High."
Noel informed Reed of her errorless play at an awards banquet after her sophomore year, but she just went about her business. She thinks more about her pitchers and preparing for the action at the plate.
"I spend a lot of time working by myself and with my dad," said Reed, who started playing at age 4. "It was comfortable for me to catch right away. I've had no major injuries the few times I've been taken out at the plate. That's the fun part and it hurts a little, but the pain goes away."
Playing through the pain and getting dirty was natural for Reed, who grew up in a softball family. Her sister, Heather, a 2005 Clovis graduate and third baseman, is attending medical school at UC-San Diego.
Nicole is a third-generation catcher, as her mother Sandra and grandmother Darlene Carmical both played.
"What she does away from the field and in the dugout is when her true gifts come out," Noel said. "It's the way she can lead. She was a great ambassador for the younger kids. The way we do things here is very different and some kids don't get it for four years or at all. Nicole got it early in her second year, and understood when it was time to be focused and not talk or when it was time to make noise and use that energy."
Reed also led by example with her hitting. She hit over .400 in Tri-River Athletic Conference play and over .600 in the playoffs. Reed, a second-team all-state player, finished at .302 with 32 hits, eight doubles and 20 RBIs. She struck out just eight times in 106 at-bats and was known for her multi-hit games.
Reed will play at Fresno State and try to step into a starting role, as Bulldogs catcher and former Clovis standout Nichole Willis finished her college career. Reed will major in liberal studies and plans to teach and coach at the elementary level.
As for her high energy level, Noel has some second thoughts.
"If I had to do it over again," he said. "I'd let her ride in my van."
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REBECCA ARBINO
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