Extra Inning Softball Photo of the Week: In Their Final Year of 23 Coaching Together, Wayne & Lisa Daigle Go Through Pre-Game Ritual

Before each game of their amazing 23 years coaching together, husband and wife Wayne and Lisa Daigle had the same ritual: during the playing of the National Anthem, the couple would face the flag with his arm around her.

“We did that before every game,” Lisa said, “and when the music stopped, we kissed and then it was game time!”

This photo was taken last year during their final season together, their 23^rd at Smithson Valley High in Spring Branch, Texas, which included 21 straight playoff appearances, 15 district championships, seven state tournament births and three state championships in 2001, 2009 and 2012.

“The thing I’ll miss most,” Wayne told KSAT the week they retired, “is seeing the girls at 14 when they don’t have a clue, then four years later I call a timeout and they already know what I’m going to say. We didn’t just help them win games. We helped them become young women.”

Extra Inning Softball caught up with Lisa this weekend to ask what they’ve been doing over the last year since they stepped down.

“Retirement has been pretty good,” she said. “It’s nice to be able to pick up and go somewhere on the spur of the moment during the week.”

The couple wasn’t able to see any Smithson Valley High games this spring, but “plan to next year.”

They have kept busy, however, still tied into the sport they love.

“I give softball lessons and Wayne coached softball at Geneva School of Boerne (a Christian school in Boerne, Texas) this past spring so those kind of things help a little, but what was once our livelihood is now just a ton of special memories!”

Lisa adds she does miss being with her husband on the field after their pregame ritual, but admits that’s now what she misses most.

“We miss coaching for sure!” she concludes, “but not being with the kids is the hardest part.”

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Watch and enjoy this beautiful KSAT tribute to the coaches!

Thanks to photographer Holly Anthony for the photo; if you have a great shot and would like to submit for Photo of the Week consideration, email to [email protected] and give as much detail about the pic as possible: who’s in it, where was it taken, was the going on in the shot, etc.!