The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/703389
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? chase as well as anyone in the game. "I've taken from her the no‑non‑ sense approach," Young said. "Laying out the facts, setting high standards for your players and your program, and being honest and candid with your people as they come along. "She'll pat you on the back when it's a job well done, and she's the first to let you know when what you're doing isn't good enough. As a player, that was not only motivating, it got the best out of me. You wanted to give your best every day to make her proud." That approach goes even beyond softball. Young employs it in her coaching career as a mom. "Being a parent now, that's how I parent," she said. "I set tough stan‑ dards for my kids, and I lay down the law. I also encourage and motivate them to do their best." Hutchins pushed Young to high achievement in Ann Arbor. The Santa Ana, Calif., native left Michigan in 2003 as the Wolverines' all‑time strikeout leader (927) and still stands third on that list 13 years later. She remains in Michigan's top five in ap‑ pearances (fourth, 144), starts (fifth, 111), complete games (fifth, 82), in‑ nings pitched (fifth, 761) and shut‑ outs (tied for fourth, 36). She's also in the top 10 for wins (88), winning percentage (.786) and earned run av‑ erage (1.13). Far more than numbers went into her Michigan experience, Young as‑ sured. The Wolverines won Big Ten championships in three of the four years she competed and twice made it to the Women's College World Series. She learned about a cause bigger than herself and her own concerns, a perspective she now draws upon as a coach. "Hutch was so great at creating a winning culture, one that has passed the test of time," Young said. "I really learned that it wasn't about me. It was about the program. The program came first, and everything you did in that moment needed to impact the program in a positive way." Those lessons didn't just involve tough practices, shouted commands and blunt tactical advice. Sometimes they developed out of laughs around a campfire. "I grew up in Southern California, so camping or being out in nature wasn't really my thing," Young ad‑ mitted with a laugh. "I really grew from Hutch taking the time to take us to Elk Rapids in the fall, for our team‑ building experience. "We would have bonfires, and stay out and tell stories. Those were just great moments for me to have with my teammates and my coaches. It was not only team building, it was also a good cultural experience — eye‑opening for me. I appreciate her taking the time and investing in us as much as she did off the field." The investment continued when Young tore the anterior cruciate ligament in a knee, undergoing sur‑ gery following her freshman season. That could have ended her career, but she quickly learned a lesson in overcoming. Hutchins wasn't about to let her