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There will be softball in Thompson Falls once more.

After a season without Lady Hawk high school softball last spring due to low turnout numbers, new coach Jared Koskela has a plan to get girls playing softball and, ironically enough, that plan involves the Thompson Falls track and field team.

“We are letting the girls participate in both sports this spring,” Koskela said, “and that will allow us to have a softball program again. We have 13 girls out and six of them have signed up for both sports. Hopefully this will allow us to rebuild the program and get softball back on solid ground here.”

Well known as the football coach at TFHS, Koskela volunteered to step in and coach softball when long-time coach Randy Pirker came down ill several months ago. Pirker is still listed as an assistant coach for this year’s team (along with Julie Detlaff), but has to work his schedule around ongoing treatments for his medical condition.

“Randy was not going to be able to be there full time, and being as I have girls coming up through the system now, I felt obligated to do something,” Koskela said. “I love baseball and figured I could learn the sport of softball and how to coach it; someone needed to step up and do it and I am willing to give it a try.”

Koskela’s first attempt at coaching softball will officially kick off with the team’s first game of the season Saturday as the Lady Hawks host Florence at TFHS. The Hawks will then entertain Sanders County rival Plains-Hot Springs Tuesday.

Haley Morgan is the Lady Hawks’ only senior, Maya Stiles, Sarah Detlaff and Melania Goodman are the Thompon Falls juniors, Belle Cooper, Kelsey Frank and Delaney Johnson the sophomores and Faith Frields, Riley Wilson, Jody Detlaff and Aidin Losure this season’s freshman.

Koskela said practices have been going well in his first season as Hawk softball skipper.

“Allowing the girls to do both sports increases the talent base for both programs,” he said. “It’s been real positive in practice and we are eager to get going with our softball team to see where we are.”