SIUC softball coach Kay Brechtelsbauer is starting all over again this year, even though she is entering her 31st season as the Saluki skipper.

No, the reigning Missouri Valley Coach of the Year is not retooling her offensive or defensive philosophy. Brechtelsbauer is trading hats and moving to the dugout for the first time in her career.

With no seniors returning from last year’s 41-16 squad, Brechtelsbauer has decided to allow pitching coach Kerri Blaylock take over her third-base coaching duties. Former scorekeeper Mark Skip Cosgrove will move to first base, and Brechtelsbauer will perform her role from the bench.

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The move will allow her to spend more time teaching and emphasize a strong mental approach.

I’m doing a lot more work with the mental aspect of the game, Brechtelsbauer said. I moved Kerri to third base and Skip to first base. I can do a better job of getting my hitters ready, and I can do a better job if they don’t get a hit of getting them ready to play defense.

For a coach whose resume is one of the best in women’s sports history, the decision was not an easy one. Brechtelsbauer tried the move during the team’s preseason games in the fall and found herself wanting to be on the field on more than one occasion.

It took me a while to get used to it, Brechtelsbauer said. I’ve never coached from the dugout, and the first time there was a runner coming around second, without thinking I’m screaming, Send her, send her!’ because that’s what I would have done.

But they need that a lot more than players in the past have. They need the encouragement and helping them get ready to stay on a more consistent level. They kind of liked it, and I did, too.

Coming to the dugout is symbolic of Brechtelsbauer’s effort to adapt to her players’ needs. The Salukis made a solid run at a conference championship led by a solid group of seniors last year, but fell short in the conference tournament and failed to earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

I thought about it last year, and the timing wasn’t right with the players we had, Brechtelsbauer said. With a young team we have no seniors this is the time to make some changes.

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Falling short of the team’s goal put a damper on one of Brechtelsbauer’s finest seasons at SIUC and her first MVC Coach of the Year award.

It’s a nice honor, and I appreciate that the conference coaches gave me that honor, but I keep forgetting that I even got it because I felt like we came up short, Brechtelsbauer said.

Brechtelsbauer’s emphasis on the psychological aspects of the game has also drawn positive reviews from her players.

She’s going to help us more with our mental (approach), sophomore pitcher Carisa Winters said. Before she wouldn’t have time to talk to us because she’d be out on third base. Now if somebody does something wrong, she can notice it from the dugout and tell them what happened.

Junior catcher Brook Hattermann, one of the Salukis’ group of junior tri-captains, feels last year’s team lacked the mental game needed to achieve its goals.

Sometimes with seniors, people have too much power, Hattermann said. Without them, I think our team is pretty even in the way we treat each other.

With achievements such as the longest active softball coach at any NCAA school and the winningest coach in the history of women’s sports at SIUC behind her, Brechtelsbauer had plenty of reasons to keep the same approach.

But a chance to return to the NCAA Tournament and win with a group who is picked to finish fourth in conference play makes her 31st season seem just like her debut.

I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, Brechtelsbauer said. There’s always going to be a few years where you’re struggling, but it’s been fun. The people that really make it enjoyable are the players.

This year, I’ve got a great group to work with. There’s still some goals I would like to reach, and one of them is to get back to the NCAAs. I’d love to make the Final Eight. It’s going to be tough, but you never know.

SIUC travels to Monroe, La., Friday for the Mardi Gras Classic.