With a quick sway of her bat, varsity softball senior Ellie Campbell sends the softball flying through the air, across the field and straight into varsity softball senior Alexis Bowerman’s glove. Campbell’s teammates cheer her on during their daily after-school practice.

Before the first game of the season was held, the team participated in two scrimmages at home, one on March 7 against Fairfax High School and another on March 9 against George Marshall High School.

“Our team has scrimmages because they emphasize what we need to improve for our upcoming games,” Campbell said. “Regardless, if we win or not, there’s always something that we need to improve on as a team.”

Apart from game days, the team practices in order to sharpen their skills. Practice first begins with cardio warmups in order to get the team moving. Then they transition into their throwing warmups to loosen their arms for the rest of practice.  Next, the team does short drills and works on situational batting for games. Practice ends with batting practice for all players.

“Holding practice every day is so important for us to keep working on skills that the team as a whole is struggling on,” Bowerman said. “The season is already short, so if we have off days with no practice it would be very difficult for the team to improve as the season passes by.”

Softball games usually occur one to two times a week, and so far the team’s record this season is 1-5, with their only win against Annandale High School. 

Since several students played softball before they joined the high school team they have found ways to improve their skills, apart from the team, to stay in shape and focus on individual goals. 

“Since I have been playing since third grade, outside of school practice, I have private pitching lessons every week,” varsity softball junior Noel Lackey said. “I usually just go out to the field to hit, work on fielding and other softball related drills.”

Lackey’s practice after school and private pitching lessons help her improve her batting and pitching. These later specific skills will later be applied in games and practices to help achieve her personal goals.

“Some goals me and the team have are to rebuild team chemistry, because we lost so many seniors, as well as to improve our hitting, and perfect some plays on defense,” Lackey said.

With a shortage of seniors on the team, there’s a decrease in experienced players, meaning everyone has to use their strengths to their advantage. 

“My greatest strength is picking up my teammates when they’re down,” Campbell said. “Everyone needs a leader on a team and that’s what I’m trying to be. Not a bossy leader, like telling people what to do, but being fun and outgoing.”

Many of the players’ favorite memories are the team bonding activities such as post game and practice dinners and lunches. Additionally, they plan sleepovers and other activities that allow the team to hangout apart from softball.

“I love being on the team and knowing I’m being supported by my teammates, who have also become my friends,” Lackey said. “I know if I succeed in something they will recognize it and congratulate me, but if I don’t execute, they don’t judge me but they will support me in getting better.”