Coach Robin Snyder is loading up the bus, and taking his team to Gulf Shores for the second time this season, but don’t expect to find them lounging on the beach and catching rays.

The Charles Henderson softball team has one goal in mind for the regional tournament: make it to state.

The Lady Trojans qualified for the regional tournament by finishing runner-up at the area tourney, defeating top-seeded Headland along the way.

Snyder feels that his team developed much needed confidence at the area tournament, and is excited for the regional.

“Winning and losing is very contagious,” said Snyder. “Our program has never been to this type of regional format. To my knowledge, we haven’t been to playoffs since making them in 2004. Losing gets you in a little bit of a rut, and hopefully this season has gotten us of out that rut, and we can keep building on it.”

The structure of the regional is different from that of the area, and Snyder favors the regional format.

The regional tourney features eight teams, twice that of the area, and does not force the team in the loser’s bracket to play the final team from the winner’s bracket.

“Two teams still get to go to state, but you don’t have to play two meaningless games,” said Snyder. “The take a qualifier from the winner’s side, and one from the bottom. In my opinion, it all works out for the better.”

The Lady Trojans open the regional tournament against Alabama Christian Friday.

First pitch is set for 3:30 at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.