Rachelle “Rocky” Henley has been chasing baseball dreams since the 1970s. She went from being the only girl on South San Francisco’s Little League team to covering third base professionally for the Colorado Silver Bullets.
In 2014 she founded the San Francisco Bay Sox, now the largest all-girls baseball program in the country.
Henley is breaking new ground again. She’s the only woman among four managers leading teams in the inaugural season of the Women’s Pro Baseball League. The other managers are all former Major League Baseball players, including ex-San Francisco Giant Matt Williams.
Henley is a Bay native, but she’s managing the New York Heights. Her team takes the field for the league’s opening day tomorrow, August 1, in Springfield, Ill.
The entire first season — each team plays 15 games — is taking place in Springfield’s Robin Roberts Stadium, but the teams represent San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and Boston. (Viewing options are here.)
The Frisc caught up with Henley on the phone from Springfield to talk about big crowds, pressure, the women’s sports wave, and more.
The conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity and brevity.
You’ve played and coached at many levels. How are you preparing to manage pros? What differences do you expect?
Bigger crowds, that’s for sure. The first game is already sold out. In women’s baseball, we get up to a couple hundred, maybe, in a bigger tournament. One question I asked the athletes at our first practice was: who’s played in a big-time scenario, like over 3,000 people? Half of them did not raise their hand.
How do you prepare them for that?
A lot of mental imagery. At every practice I ask them to close their eyes and envision themselves in a scenario: bases loaded, two outs, and the winning run is on third base. I’m trying to show them it’s just a regular game, but you put pressure on yourself in your mind. A lot of these women, they’re the top level, so they’ve played internationally or at the collegiate level and been under pressure. This is just another type of pressure.
For baseball newbies, what’s the difference between managing and coaching?
At the professional level a manager is not only managing the athletes and the team but also managing the coaches. Usually in MLB, there’s a pitching coach, hitting coach, bench coach, first base coach, and third base coach. Unfortunately, we don’t have that luxury right now. I’ll have two other coaches with me.
So you’re still involved in action on the field?
Oh yes, I’m going to be in the dugout. Except for the very first game, when I will be the third base coach because one of my coaches is still in Poland. But other than that, I will be in the dugout watching and sharing information with the batters as they go up to the plate.
When I have defense out on the field, I might take a player aside and say, “Okay, what did you see there or on that play? Talk me through that.” I’m constantly teaching.
The other managers are former major-leaguers. You’re the only one with experience coaching women. Do you think this gives you a competitive edge?
I’m hoping to have a leg up, absolutely. I [already] know a lot of the athletes. But these other three men have been in baseball for many years. They’re going to know their athletes within two or three games. They know what they’re talking about. They know what they’re seeing. They’ll be able to pick it up fast.
Were you surprised to be named one of the four?
I was thunderstruck at the phone call. I thought, “There are other women that have just as much baseball experience as I do.” I just want to be a part of this league. I am honored and grateful to have this opportunity to be a manager.
You have years of women’s leagues experience, like with the Colorado Silver Bullets and SF Fillies. Why didn’t they survive longer? What might be different about this one?
Social media has a lot to do with it. And Baseball For All, [which] started 11 years ago and gave girls an opportunity to start somewhere. Those young ladies who maybe were 11, 12, 13 at that time, many are in the league now.
And there are more teams, leagues, and organizations like the Bay Sox. We went from 12 girls in 2015 to over 150. There’s a place for girls to play now, to feel comfortable and noticed, to gain confidence on the field.
Injuries are a big factor in pro ball. Does the WPBL have resources to add depth in case of injuries?
I’m happy to say yes. They’re all about safety, and going above and beyond to make sure everyone is safe and comfortable. They have University of Illinois training staff out at every single practice and game. We’ll have training tables, massage areas and cold baths if needed, top-notch helmets and catcher’s gear. Even in the bathrooms, they’re supplying feminine products.
How would you describe your team overall? A lot of contact hitters or sluggers? Are you leaning on pitching and defense?
We are a great team. We just had a scrimmage for the first time in four days. We are going to swing it. We’re going to be hard-hitting gappers, home run hitters, and we’re going to have, in my opinion, the best pitching in the league.
Have you been scouting or recruiting? Any prospects to keep an eye on?
I’m not in the position to scout or recruit. But Kaija Bazzano, from Sebastopol, was drafted for San Francisco. I’m hoping she’ll be called up one day, because I know her [style of] play. She’s a competitor. She doesn’t quit.
The USA World Cup was just last week, and there is a phenomenal athlete, Jamie Baum. She’s not in this league right now, but she batted over .600. She plays shortstop and pitches, she’s just a phenomenal ball player. I don’t know if she’ll ever be interested in doing the WPBL.
Why is that?
That’s the difference between men and women’s sports nowadays. Men can make a career out of this. We can’t. I’m taking a leave of absence from the city to do this. In the long run, it hurts my retirement. Men, they’re getting millions of dollars. I wish we could do that.
Look at the WNBA. A lot of those athletes had to play in Europe in the off-seasons if they wanted to continue. They made more money over there than they did 10 years ago in the WNBA. There is still progress to go.
Could the WPBL change that for baseball?
Yes. A lot of it is about getting people to watch and be interested. To have a really great league, we need people to follow us beyond the stands, on social media. That brings in sponsors, and sponsorships means more money for the female athletes. I’m hoping the WPBL will go there one day.
