The varsity softball team achieved 2016 Conference Championship, after 4 years of no victory. But with hard work and determination the girls accomplish an extraordinarily season.
“Winning conference brought our team closer together because it proved that we could accomplish a lot if we worked together to reach our goal,” sophomore Talia Emch said. “I’m glad I got to win conference with such an amazing team. The day that we won conference will be a day that I will remember as I look back on my days in high school.”
The team lost the first 7 games but ended up winning the 9 last games. Head coach Melissa Sommerfeld helped the team achieve the winning streak and conference championship. Not only did they work in the weight room, run, and make routine plays, they also came in on Saturday mornings to practice and help the girls develop skills.
“She really pushed us to be the best that we could be. She saw potential in all of us and didn’t let us give any less than 120%” senior Alexis Hibbs said.
They worked hard on and off the field by arranging sleepovers to “team bond” that helped improve unity and friendships that was brought into practice and games in order to gain trust and make the team stronger which helped them win games.
“We had a much more stronger vibe, more of a unity because everyone had the same drive to win” junior, Emily West said.
Besides the trust and unity of the players, mental health was a big factor in succeeding. They always stayed focused, leaving out any problems off the field.
“We practiced hard and mentally prepared ourselves each game,” sophomore Margaret Vierling said.
The chemistry between the players this season definitely
helped, and the mindset of winning and the drive to succeed made the team stronger than last year, allowing for more communication and trust.
“As the season progressed, we grew as a team and worked harder everyday. We didn’t start out with the best record, which is what motivated us to work harder. As we started pulling out wins, we got momentum, which carried us all the way to the conference championship.” Emch said.
Unfortunately, the team received a lot of criticism. The criticism of many doubters motivated them to work hard and prove people wrong.
“I feel like we clicked more this year…we just wanted it more, and we were all tired of being labeled as a bad softball team” Sophomore, Olivia Stephens said.
The team received all the support needed from those who believed in them, like close friends and family who cheered them on and helped them power through games.
“Everyone was very excited because most people didn’t think we were capable of winning conference, so when we won it was great to experience it with my friends and family.” Emch said.