April 4, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.
Town's excitement builds for hope of softball glory
With a pep rally planned for tonight and a limousine-led motorcade heading to Saturday's championship game at Ben Davis High School, Coach Craig Sims says that the town's response to the team's success has been sometimes overwhelming.
"We've got people coming to practice and all of the sudden, everybody wants to be part of it," Sims said. "We have retired teachers bringing us cookies, for practice, and giving the girls cards.
"And on social media, they have all kinds of good things on there about them. It is an exciting time for these kids and for this community. It is an opportunity to represent Hope, Ind. and Hauser High School at the state level."
Sims said that he travels the state for work and when he tells people that he is from Hope, he doesn't expect them to know where the town is located. But people remember the boy's 2005-6 basketball championship.
"It is something they are going to remember for the rest of their lives and it is something the community will remember and cherish for many, many years," Sims said.
Sims said he is taking steps this week during practice to try to help the girls keep things in perspective.
"I have tried to really put a lot of pressure on them and tried to make them nervous this week in practice, so hopefully when they get to the game they will be calm," Sims said. "I don't want for them to be calm now, and get there and be nervous. Maybe it is the right thing, maybe it is the wrong thing, but that is the way we are trying to handle that situation."
While the plan was originally to take the girls to a fancy restaurant in Indianapolis after the game, with the cost of the limousines, Sims said he has decided to switch to something more low-key for the post-game celebration.
"When I found out the cost of the limos per hour, I decided we were coming back to Hope!," Sims said. "So, we are going to have a cookout here at my place and the girls are going to swim and we are just going to have a get together when we get back."
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