Softball! That’s right, softball is making a comeback this spring. The softball team didn’t get the chance to play its season last year. It’s been a struggle getting through this past year without college athletics, but we found our way through and spring sports are now back.
Sarah Duncklee throwing the ball to Melanee Terry at first.
Zoe Alyward said, “I’m super excited for the season to start! Super nervous, though, to see everything fall out with COVID and how the games will go.” The team members are very excited to get back to action so that they can play with their teammates and grow as a team as they did in the fall. Zoe is a freshman and she is very excited to observe how the team plays together and get to know everyone on the team. She thinks the team looks really good. “We all realize that we have each other and we all know to practice how we play. And we all are more than ready to play some softball.” Zoe thinks the older team members are extremely ready to play this season. They have all been putting in lots of work on and off the field to be able to make this season happen. Zoe also said, “Softball is all some of us have right now, so it’s everything we’ve been waiting for.”
Sports are a big part of everyone’s lives because people have something to cheer for when they watch sports. But for athletes and coaches involved with the team it’s much more than something to cheer for.
Coach Alissa Edwards is extremely excited for the season to start and for the opportunity to get back on the field so that the team can play some outside competition. Coach Edwards said, “The girls have worked so hard this past year on properly preparing in order for us to be successful this season. This year the girls and I have really focused on continuously being grateful for any and every opportunity we have to step on the field or even be together as a team!”
The team looks ready to go Coach Edwards said. There have been a lot of rough patches, such as injuries, but the women have been doing a great job of picking one another up and making adjustments. Coach Edwards said, “We have a lot of very strong upperclassmen that have done an outstanding job of leading not only vocally, but also by example.” The softball also has many freshmen.
The freshmen have come in very determined and have already had such big impacts. Coach Edwards said, “I am definitely thrilled to be able to coach such a great group of young ladies. I’m looking forward to seeing all the success that’s to come for this upcoming season.”
This season has been a long time in the making and for Coach Edwards, it’ll be her first year in charge of the head coaching duties for the UMPI softball team. So even though this season is going to be a bit different with all the masking and distancing, Coach Edwards and the softball team members are in good spirits because they will get to play.
So get your UMPI softball apparel and bundle up at home and watch the softball team play this season. Buckle up and let’s get this season started!
