The instructional voice from the Grace College softball dugout is one Dori Knight knows well.
It belongs to the freshman’s older sister, Clarissa May, a Lancers assistant coach recently elevated to interim head coach status while Nora Reece is on maternity leave.
The siblings have learned as much about each other in recent months as they did the 11 years they shared a bedroom at the family’s Nineveh residence.
“Before she started college, we didn’t have a great relationship. We fought a lot,” said May, who is four years older than Knight and never got to play on a team with her. “Grace is my alma mater, and I wanted Dori to see how special it is here.
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“It’s been very special for me and getting to see her in a different light. I’ve learned how to appreciate how different we are, and I’ve seen how my sister cares for people.”
May, an All-American shortstop at Grace who holds many of the program’s hitting records, considers herself an extrovert. Like a lot of coaches, May can be boisterous and wants things done immediately. Knight, meanwhile, is quieter and more laid-back.
Like her teammates, Knight refers to her sister by the nickname “CK” — May’s initials before getting married — in softball settings such as practices, games and bus rides. Off the field, she calls her Clarissa.
Though the sisters had seen one another in previous years during Grace or Indian Creek softball games, the reconnect wasn’t immediate when Knight first arrived on the Lake Winona campus.
“It took some adjusting at first,” Knight said. “It took about two months to transfer from seeing her as just my sister to her being my sister and my coach. Since I’ve gotten here, we’ve become closer. It’s been a chance to connect at a different level.
“What I’ve learned is that Clarissa cares about me more than I thought she did while growing up. We didn’t really show affection while growing up, but we do more now.”
May said she and Knight might have hugged twice a month during the years they were growing up together. Now they share an embrace daily, including a hug between innings in games Dori pitches (it’s part of a special handshake the sisters invented for just the two of them).
Tom and Jonetta Knight have five daughters of their own — May, 22, is the third and Dori, 18, is the fourth — and the couple also has five foster daughters ranging in age from ages 11 to 19.
Tom Knight has enjoyed watching the relationship between Clarissa and Dori evolve into something special in a familiar setting. Another of his daughters, Andrea, previously played volleyball and ran track at Grace.
“When they were growing up, our summers used to be travel softball with both of them going different directions,” he said. “I think they have a better appreciation of each other than they had. They are definitely closer now than they were, and it’s neat to watch.”
