TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The open seats inside the USF Softball Stadium disappeared quickly. The overflow of fans pooled around me while I was standing behind those seats filming the game. They bumped into me time and time again but I never really minded it. Their movements came from their efforts to catch a team of Olympians in action.
The USF Bulls hosted the USA Softball Women’s National Team on Tuesday night. While the Bulls had to watch their former head coach, Ken Eriksen, walk in and out of the dugout with Team USA, they are only excited for him.
“I am so happy for him and I would not want anyone else to do it,” said Bethaney Keen, a redshirt junior infielder. “He is a good coach, an even better guy, and, honestly it is just a fun and cool experience to be out here playing against him and we had a blast doing it as well.”
Keen said she wished Eriksen and a handful of players on his team good luck in their Olympic journey.
“He is going to be our biggest supporter from afar,” she said, “and we are going to be his biggest supporters as well. We are really excited for him. Coach Jess and Coach T are doing an amazing job and, honestly, the group of girls now are really buying in. We are having fun and trusting the process as well.”
Jess Moore, who has been the assistant coach with the Bulls for the past four seasons, is stepping into the head coaching role while Eriksen is coaching Team USA.
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