The softball team lost ten seniors last year and have assimilated new students.
As the season for the girls is hitting its stride the unity shown through the-new and veteran athletes has aided in development and results. Exercises and activities have helped freshman assimilate and new players make friends.
The relationships the team exhibits begins in the leaders and the team captain Erin Field, senior, has translated that.
“We are like a family,” Fields said. “We are with each other every day and we have become really close.”
The coach of the team, coach Tina O’Neal, notices the togetherness as well.
“Our girls feel like family,” O’Neal said. “As the season has progressed our girls have gotten closer and have be-come more of a cohesive unit.”
“It’s like a second family everyone acts like sister’s.” sophomore Courtney Collins said.
The bonds between the “sisters” on the softball team resonated with the younger players they have.
“I like that I can count on anyone,” freshman Sofia Valdez said. “They are really supportive and cheer for you no matter what.”
O’Neal has unity come from the traditions, exercises and customs they do. The favorite of the girls that were interviewed is having Secret Softies.
“It’s like secret Santa and it is where everyone writes on a sheet of paper what they like and every home game your Secret Softie gets you what is on your paper and puts it in your locker,” Valdez said.
“These girls can get closer as time goes on,” junior Makenzie Herman said. “And when you have a close united team it will lead to positive results.”
The players new to the team know it too.
Both Valdez and Collins responded similarly on the same question.
“It shows on the field in our communication and sportsmanship,” Collins said. The players echo each other that the bonding they put emphasis on enhances their performace.
“It results in winning, you can tell our communication and unity when we start winning, especially when we are feilding,” Valdez said.
Valdez also talked about how the friendship shown by the team has helped her assimilate to school.
“The team helps me not to feel like an outsider all the time,” Valdez said.
Fields has helped freshmen to get in the grove of things at school.
“We hang out a lot after school, and help one another with homework,” Fields said. “We are like sisters and I think it helps the get used to school.”
And the love on the team is evident in everything the team does. “The interactivity is good because you have a chance to get to know someone you might haven’t talked to before,” Herman said.
“Even on the team not everyone is super close to each other and doing the traditions we do kind of helps people get to know one another.”
As the season continues so will the unity the team incorpates everyday.
“A more coheasive unit,” O’Neal said, regarding what all the activities are for.