By: Emma Jenan
Redwood High School has some incredible athletics, and the softball team is no exception. But, the idea of high school sports can be intimidating to incoming freshman athletes.
Gianna Saenz, ’25, starts off by saying, “The thought of tryouts is pretty nerve racking, considering a lot of the girls trying out also play travel ball.” “We have a very good bond, especially with the seniors. They have been very welcoming.” Saenz really enjoys the team’s atmosphere, and continues to add, “The biggest part of softball is picking each other up and cheering each other on, no matter what.” Even though Redwood Softball team is one of the best, there still is some pretty tough competition. Saenz thinks, “I’m leaning towards Mt. Whitney, but all the teams are looking strong this year.”
Emily Hernandez, ’25, says, ” I’m looking forward to playing with my friends and trying my best to win a lot of games.” She believes that softball is a sport where you really have to cheer each other on to get good results. Hernandez goes on to say, “The team’s atmosphere is really good, everyone gets a long with everyone. We’re like one big family.” She finishes off by saying, “My goals this year are to basically just get better, and to constantly keep hitting.”
Zoe Alvarado, ’25, is just as excited as the others to try out, but has some concerns of her own. Alvarado says, “Right now it’s hard, I’m in basketball and can’t try out for softball until the very end, which is really stressful.” She goes on to say, “Me and the girls have a very strong bond, I’ve been playing travel ball with them for a while and we all get along really well.” Alvarado continues, “I’m looking forward to all the games, all the competition, and just meeting new softball players.”
It can be a scary thought to be trying out for a new sport, especially as a freshman, but Saenz said, “I always have to go in with a good mindset to play my best game.”
Emma Jenan
Emma Jenan is a '25 second year journalism member of the Redwood Gigantea. She is interested in writing any article, but sports stories are her favorite. Emma is a part of the redwood tennis team, and is a varsity member. You can reach her by email:
emma.je8807@vusd.us
Tags: freshmen, redwood sports, softball, sports, womens athletics