Varsity Softball Slides Into Their Season

By: Brooke Logan, Haley Michelson, and Gabriela Mora

Redwood’s softball team is already off to a great start to their season. With many freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors looking for a spot on this season’s team. Accompanied by many new players, the team has already started talking about improvements to be made to insure a great season this year. Coach Rooney, the Varsity head coach, and his returning players are very optimistic about this season and the challenges that they will be facing.

Coach Rooney has been preparing for this season the same as he has prepared for previous years.

Rooney has three main goals for this season, “try and win every game, try and win a Valley championship, and a WYL title.”

For this season, they will not be making many changes. They just want to try to be as efficient as possible in the things that they do, “Our expectations for this group is that they have the best year they have ever had and that they provide leadership to the new players and underclassmen every day in practice and in games.”

Coach Rooney will take his five returning players, two seniors and three juniors, and he will move forward with them alongside the new players. They are preparing to play Hanford, who was in the Valley Championship last year and El Diamante, who is always a challenge. Coach Rooney is hoping that the first year Varsity players step up and contribute to the team right away.

Ashley Wainwright ‘20 is a returning player this year. Some of the goals she talked about were hopefully winning WYL with a winning record and to play strong all season. Lots of people have different goals they set for themselves. Wainwright wants to improve on batting, “getting more hits and helping out the team.” There are many important aspects going into a sport for the new season, and with new players. “Seeing the other girls step up” was very important last year because a lot of the seniors left. Wainwright believes that by talking to the new players and encouraging them, “newer players create a new team and atmosphere.” A lot of the incoming players have a lot to carry because they are just as important as the older players. In this upcoming season for softball, our team has a lot to look forward to.

Janette Ochoa ‘21 is another returning player for this team. After coming back from an injury she “really wants to get better each day.” She knows that going to her lessons will better herself. As she is setting goals for herself this season she wants to be better than she was last year. Ochoa also mention the new players, she says, “I want to set a high expectation for the newbies coming in.” She also says how she wants to be their friend and relieve some stress that they have coming onto the team. Setting higher expectations and standards for new players is an important thing to do because it is a result of how the team will be doing if you are meeting the expectations. Ochoa wants to see her team grow by “coming together, talking more, and growing a bond together.”

Overall, Rangers Varsity Softball is in for a treat this season. After coming into the season with only five returning players is challenging, but the team is ready to put in the work! Coach Rooney and the girls are looking forward to another season with some goals of winning WYL and having seasons with new player on the team.