by Mac Paquette | Sports Writer

 It’s 6 in the morning and the sun is still not out, Katie Weinman gets out of bed to go wake up her twin sister Keri so they can get to school and get a morning workout in.  This is just the typical morning for the two seniors and captains of the Johnson softball team, and something they have grown accustom from play with one another since their freshman year.

“Going home every day to the same house after every practice and every game is so different from our teammates, it gives us a different bond obviously because we are sisters, but also because we can be around softball all day,” senior Katie Weinman said.

Entering their final year of playing high school softball brings many memories and many “lasts” throughout the season, and the Weinman twins have been facing them head on.

“It’s a weird feeling knowing that this is our last season, it’s strange knowing that once this season ends we won’t be looking ahead to our goals for the next year,” senior Keri Weinman said.

While the last season is upon them, there are still many opportunities to fulfill their personal goals each and every day, whether it be in practice, or in a game.

“The best thing about playing with your twin sister is going out every day and opportunity trying to prove you’re better than your twin,” Katie said.

The last season is bringing challenges to not only the twins, but their teammates and best friends on the softball team.

“The twins are so much fun to be around, they always know how to lighten up the mood and how to motivate the rest of the team so we can be at our best whenever time comes,” junior Nicole Urbanik said.

Not only have the players built a strong bond with the twins, the coaches who have coached them for their high school careers have as well.

“Coaching the twins since freshman year has been a very fun ride, their competitiveness always keeps the team going and it’s great to have them part of our family,” coach Kayla Blucher said.

Four years of varsity softball at Johnson has left many memorable moments, including glorious wins, grueling losses, and time with their team-their second family.

“Hands down my favorite athletic moment with my sister would be junior year against Macarthur when Katie and I were were back-to-back in the batting order, and Katie had just hit a homer to center field, and then at my at bat I hit a ball deep into center as well, everybody thinks it’s going over, and it hits the wall and I get a double, it was so close,” Keri said.

The Weinman twins have had a busy four years of softball at Johnson, but without each other, they would be very different players and people.

“Sports has really let us become better leaders, the off field experience we gain together helps us have a very strong bond, whether it be talking about softball at dinner, or making sure we wake up to go in early in the morning to work out, it has helped us become better, off and on the field.”