NFCA Gives Perserverance Award To Michael Lotief

The phrase "Fight Like Mike" means many things to Ragin' Cajuns Softball. The players embody it, and their coach lives it everyday.

Michael Lotief's battle with cancer was very public. Every medical development, surgery through recovery, was documented. His fight isn't over, but he's not using his illness as an excuse. Not an excuse to other people, but to himself.

He doesn't want to give up the sport he loves, simply because he got sick. He won't let it steal his softball team from him.

“Coaching is my passion,” Lotief said. “It’s what I do, it’s who I am. It’s not as much as me watching an individual swing the bat as much as it is my connection to them, to make a difference in their life as a person, and growing and learning and fighting.”

The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) selected Michael Lotief as the 2016 recipient of the Perserverance Award. It's not just Cajun Nation that loves Lotief, it's the entire softball community.

Coach Mike doesn't want the attention to ever be on him. He would rather the spotlight go on his team every time. In this case, Coach can't deflect the honor. It's going to have his name on it.

The team will have to make room in the trophy case for Coach Mike's award this time.