It takes one to know one.

That may be the right phrase to describe Jodie Cox’s role with the Syracuse softball team. Just two years ago, the southpaw started a four-year campaign on the mound for Cal State Fullerton.

She frustrated opposing batters, helping the Titans win four consecutive Big West Championships and make four straight NCAA Regional appearances.

Now, Cox is trying to make the same impact with SU. Instead of throwing balls across the plate, she’s giving pointers to the Syracuse pitchers.

The first-year pitching coach will continue to advise the Orange pitchers on the mound when it travels to Hofstra today for a 3 p.m. doubleheader.

Cox, 23, has to juggle being both authoritative and approachable to players only a few years apart in age. And so far Cox, head coach Mary Jo Firnbach and pitchers Courtney Mosch and Erin Downey feel she’s balanced her roles.

‘We could lose a game and everyone’s down,’ Downey said. ‘But she’ll come up with some funny thing and it gets everybody’s energy back up.’

During practice, Mosch and Downey throw practice pitches. After the pitchers strikeout a batter, Cox often hops around the softball field and imitates an umpire by yelling ‘You’re out!’

Downey said much of the humor Cox brings to the Orange is more situational than quotable. It’s not necessarily what she says, but the way she says it in a certain context that makes the team environment lively.

The same case is applied when Cox provides instruction. Cox said she didn’t want to revamp the pitching styles of Mosch and Downey, but, rather, work within their game and fine-tune the skills they possess, and teach them the skills they don’t.

Under Cox, Mosch developed a rise ball that forces batters to make easy ground outs. Mosch recorded a no-hitter against Cornell in March, the first complete-game no-hitter in Syracuse softball history. Cox has helped Downey enhance a drop pitch and change-up while also hone her pitching footwork.

If Cox is displeased with the way Mosch and Downey are pitching, Cox won’t hesitate to say so. Initially, Cox said that it took her time to know whether to speak out or let the players perform. Based on how they react to criticism dictates the way she’ll address what needs to be done.

Cox lets Mosch and Downey pitch without filling their ear drums with orders. She lets the players make mistakes. And when they do, Cox gives them individual attention like she’s their personal trainer.

‘Constructive criticism is what it is,’ Cox said. ‘It’s positive criticism. During the game you want to stay positive. Once the game is over and the pitching is over, you want to debrief and that’s when the constructive criticism comes in. It’s positive as long as we stay consistent with that and they know I’m always on their side.’

‘The information that she has available for us is an advantage against any team that we play,’ Mosch said. ‘She’s played with the best.’

Cox doesn’t just bring expertise from her pitching days at Cal State Fullerton. After ending her senior campaign with a 1.06 ERA and 224 strikeouts, Cox stuck around an extra year as a student assistant. She also completed a degree in kinesiology.

Cox helped Cal State Fullerton head coach Michelle Gromaki with office work and game preparation to lighten the load while also applying her pitching prowess by setting up individual workouts for the Titan hurlers. At Fullerton she realized how significant the mental aspect can influence a player’s performance.

‘There’s always going to be a winner and there’s always going to be a loser so you have to have a consistent balance,’ Gromaki said. ‘There’s not too many sports where you fail seven out 10 times and still be successful. You need to use some of the skills because you’re always going to fail.’

When Cox stepped in as the student assistant, Gromaki didn’t give her a coaching responsibility. It would be unfair for Cox, thought Gromaki, to immediately hold an authoritative position over former teammates. Gromaki said she was certain Cox could fulfill that role soon enough.

After her stint at Fullerton, Cox felt a calling to coach because of her passion and experience with softball. With a high demand for softball coaches in the country, the market is open. But many coaches, including Firnbach, instinctively hold tendencies regarding young coaches due to inexperience.

But Titan assistant coach Terry Schweikart, a close contact with Firnbach, convinced the SU head softball coach about Cox. Firnbach put away her tendencies, hired Cox, and has given her the liberty to preach her own coaching style.

‘I let them go and let them put their two cents in when they need to because I think they’re very intelligent people,’ Firnbach said regarding her assistant coaches. ‘They know the sport and they know the kids. So when they feel they need to do something, I’ll leave them alone. I don’t need to jump in on every conversation and be a part of everything.’

Published on April 3, 2005 at 12:00 pm