By Jolie Ross
(Photo by Jolie Ross)
In the past four years, the varsity softball team has gone to state once. Now that the season has ended, the softball team finished their season second in the Southeast League. Though the team has not made it through to the end, there are four girls on the team that have one last chance to win the state title.
The senior softball team captains, Danielle Amato, Katie Dawson, and Nicole Hardy, have been playing on the varsity team since freshman year. The fourth captain, Lauren Buck, has been playing on varsity since her sophomore year.
“It’s hard to imagine what it will be like without them. We started together, and it’s been a great four years. I’ll never forget them,” Head Coach Krueger says.
Each girl has their own skill and drive to continue on in their softball career. The captains played against each other on club teams before playing together during high school. From a young age all four have been challenging each other with their abilities during their competition between club teams.
“Seeing each other in club, playing and competing against one another, and then being able to play together in high school just brings us closer together as friends,” Dawson said.
As freshmen, these players were ready for the challenge, to show the upperclassmen that they were meant to be there. After the end of the first season, the fear vanished and now most of the girls are aspiring to play in college.
This year though, these players have been dubbed captains of the team. With the ability to change the aspect on how the team should be looked at for the next season these captains try to keep cool under pressure and maintain their authority while trying to keep the team together.
“This season we have all become so close together, making memories, and bonding with one another. I’m going to miss this team; it will be different not returning next season,” Amato said.
These four girls have stuck, together through the worst and have met new people every year while saying good-bye to newly made friends. Coach Kreuger has seven tips for them to remember as they continue on in their life:
1) Commit to it,
2) Seek out encouragers,
3) Work out your creative muscles,
4) Prepare to shine,
5) Speak up,
6) Expect the unexpected,
7) Maximize the day.
“I’m going to miss these girls’ unique personalities, work ethic, and leadership they bring to the field every day,” said Krueger.
As the season begins to wind down, Amato, Dawson, Hardy, and Buck say farewell to their high school softball careers and taking a new crack at the bat in their college careers until they hit a homerun in life.
