Playing a sport like softball shouldn’t be drudgery, and new head coach Blake Morgan is determined to strike a balance between hard work and fun.

Morgan was recently hired as the new softball coach. He comes with a hefty résumé that includes serving as the head coach of the Lehigh Valley entry in the Softball Carpenter Cup the last two years.

The team finished fourth this summer. He’s also spent time coaching scholastic softball, the last four years as an assistant varsity coach at Parkland High School.

Athletic Director Robert Hartman said via a press release that the search for a new candidate ultimately led him to hiring Morgan.

“Coach Morgan was a name very high on our list,” stated Hartman. “When we spoke with people about some of the best coaches in the Valley who were not in head coaching positions, Blake’s name continued to surface.”

From that vantage point in then opposition’s dugout, he welcomed the opportunity to coach a team that’s been a consistent winner under the leadership of former head coach Alexis Berg-Townsend who compiled a 136-87 record over 10 years.

“You’re not going into a program that needs a lot of resurrection,” said Morgan. “We can really hit the ground running with this team, and we’re really excited about that.”

Through his association with the Carpenter Cup and club softball, notably as the director of the Lehigh Valley Patriot Flames, he’s familiar with a number of current Whitehall players, including Rachel Arner and Kasey Cunningham.

Morgan said that softball is still a game that should be enjoyed by those playing it. However, it does take work, and be believes that fun and work are not mutually exclusive. He said that you can’t play the game uptight and that getting comfortable and having fun are important.

The way to meld those two concepts together is to work really hard at practice, said Morgan. Once the players put in the hard work at practice, a foundation has been established in which the game is almost a reward.

“You’ve earned the right to relax and have fun during the game,” said Morgan.

Morgan knows that playing in the Skyline Division of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference will be a challenge. Parkland has been in the district championship game the last four years, winning three titles. He’ll also face Emmaus, Northampton, Nazareth and Allentown Central Catholic in arguably the toughest division within the conference.

“It’s a tough division and you always have to be ready to go from day one,” said Morgan.

Morgan said he looks forward to the opportunity of coaching this athletic group.

“We’re excited and ready to get going,” Morgan said.