Webbers Falls coach coming back home to Gore

For the last couple of school years, Webbers Falls softball coach Kera Carter has been as close to home as possible, with her hometown of Gore just across the Arkansas River. Now, Carter is getting to make it a complete full circle.

Carter was hired as the new Gore Lady Pirates fast-pitch and slowpitch softball coach, taking over for previous coach Michael Randolph who stepped down after this past school year concluded.

“I am beyond excited,” said Carter about getting to coach at her alma mater. “I have always wanted to come back home. I think it’s really good timing for me and my family.”

So often when a new coach arrives, there’s quite a bit of time needed to get used to the new players, and the new players to get used to the new coach. That won’t be the case for Carter, since her former team, the Lady Warriors, and her new team, the Lady Pirates, always meet every fast-pitch and slow-pitch season.

“I think we met up four times in slow-pitch, so I was able to see the team and their potential,” Carter said about the Lady Pirates.

Carter believes the first item to address this summer to get the Lady Pirates ready for the upcoming fast-pitch season in August is getting them stronger and in better condition.

“We started (Tuesday) in the weight room for strength and conditioning,” she said. “They have so much skill and knowledge of the game, but I felt they needed to add strength, power and endurance — and that comes with the weight room. That’s what we’re really focusing on, and getting quicker.”

As if returning to her alma mater wasn’t enough of a reason to take over the Lady Pirates softball program, getting to work with her sister Kendra Reasoner, who was the assistant coach for the softball team last fall and spring, is just an added bonus.

“My sister is going to be my assistant coach,” Carter said. “We played for Gore. We were born and raised in Gore. We are so excited and so ready to get to coach together. We never thought we would ever be back (to Gore) and coaching together ever in a million years. I knew I would always find my way back, or that I was going to be a coach. She is also the school nurse, but she has a daughter on the high school team. So, she is fortunate enough to get to help and assist. I’m excited about putting our (softball) knowledge together and working together to bring back some tradition to the school. She showed me the ropes and showed me how Gore does their thing and how they operate, and it is different than Webbers Falls.”