Four freshmen, Carsyn Moncada, Kyrie Rodriguez, Harper Morales, and Jazmine Romero, came into this year’s varsity softball season strong, determined, and ready to work.
By: Adriana Castillo
Carsyn Moncada, ’29, the team’s second baseman, says, “I was on the softball field when I found out, and I was happy that my hard work finally paid off,” which is what she wants to keep doing.
Moncada was just three years old when she started playing t-ball and was four when she started softball.
Moncada is very invested in this team, “I really like the environment. I look up to a lot of the seniors.”
She wants to prove that she is worthy of a spot on this team.
Kyrie Rodriguez, ’29, a pitcher, says that she was, “surprised and excited because I get to play with my sister and all of the seniors that I already had a bit of a connection with.”
Rodriguez started playing softball at seven years old and played for travel until the age of ten.
“Making sure that I’m very coachable and not talking back. Also, really listening to what they are telling me, so then I could get better because it’s tryouts,” was Rodriguez’s main focus during tryouts.
Her goals for this season are to “bring energy” and “get better at my skills.”
At shortstop, Harper Morales, ’29, has said that she was excited yet nervous whenever she found out that she made varsity.
“My focus during tryouts was how lucky I was to have this opportunity to possibly play for Redwood,” says Morales.
Morales also made a very clear point about how travel softball and school softball are different.
“It’s definitely different,” says Morales about school softball and travel softball. “Everyone coaches differently, and every team or teammate has different chemistry.”
“I think I could improve everywhere because you can never be the best. There’s always room for improvement, and it’s always good to keep working harder,” says Morales on what she could improve.
Third baseman Jazmine Romero, ’29, says, “I was here at school in the academic building when I found out [I made the team] and I was kind of shocked and happy”.
Romero has been playing softball for seven years, since she was about eight years old.
“It’s definitely a big accomplishment for me personally, and compared to travel ball, it’s kind of like a slower pace since we face very new teams who have different skills,” says Romero on her point of view on being on varsity.
She also says, “I just want to be a good teammate to everybody and help out the best I can”.
Romero has a very set mindset on the player she is and the team she is a part of.
Adriana Castillo
Tags: Freshman, rangers, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, redwood sports, rhs, softball, varsity, visalia ca
