Just minutes before her softball game, senior Lauren Siesky and her varsity softball teammates try to relax by closing her eyes and staying calm. Her teammates also share in the stress she feels. 

“Still, softball is super [fun],” senior Hannah Pippine said. “The team is so fun to be around.”

As of May 5, the team has played 14 games this season and won games against Oakton, Herndon, West Potomac and Yorktown.

“My goals for this season include easing on my base percentage as well as winning more district games as a team,” senior Katelyn Gallaher said.

Coach Ian Brown was appointed as the new coach to the softball team this year. He is working to rebuild the team by coordinating with the Chantilly Youth Association (CYA) Softball and making sure the varsity players have the skills needed to compete with other teams.

“Chantilly softball is in a rebuilding phase,” Brown said. “After years of mismanagement, CYA Softball has new leadership, and they are working hard to put together a program that helps develop young players softball skills to help feed Chantilly High School with players that can compete at the varsity level in high school.”

Brown frequently talks them up during practice to boost their confidence and they give each other confidence. The players on the team make sure that all the team members are motivated about the current season

Attempting to improve their previous season’s record of 3-8, the team seeks to make it to the districts or state tournaments in June.

The team lost three successive games against Paul VI, Herndon and Good Council. Keeping the lessons from these defeats in mind, the team members reflect on their strategies to enhance their game plans for future games.

“We got off to a great start then hit a few road bumps because we lost three games in a row,” Brown said. “But, we have a great group of girls, and they just keep fighting. There is no quit in this team.”

Although the team has lost most games they played this season, Coach Brown thinks the team has gained new skills and experience they did not have before.

“We have put our full effort into practice for this season,” Brown said. “However, it’s still ok if we do not win every game; losing is part of the learning process.”

The season ends in May, and the team plans to meet occasionally over the summer to practice and stay in shape of the next season

“In softball and in life, you have to keep getting better,” Brown said. “Softball—or any sport for that matter—is much more than fitness and winning. It’s about commitment, resilience and the constant desire to improve.”