by Katie Barton | staff writer
As Softball Coach Brian Sandera starts the softball practice, he thinks about how excited he is for the upcoming season.
“To not be able to play high school ball for nearly a calendar year takes takes a lot out of you and you recognize how important high school softball is,” Sanders said.
Last year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many events and competitions that took place during the Spring had to be cancelled. This meant that softball players weren’t able to have a season last year. The team and the coach are enthusiastic about this season.
“As depressing as last spring was, the beginning of this season is fantastic,” Sandera said.
The Softball team has taken precautions to help prevent the spread of Covid.
“There are certain guidelines that have been given to us, but you know safe practice is always the best thing,” Sandera said. “Just always being careful trying to maintain social distance.”
These guidelines are important for the team not only because it protects their season, but also because it keeps players healthy and safe.
“You know a byproduct of someone getting sick is we don’t get to play, and as difficult as that is, it’s much more difficult to worry about someone in our circle being sick,” Sandera said.
This season is different than other seasons for the Softball team, as Sandera is still getting to know the team’s strengths and weaknesses.
“This year was about understanding our strengths and weaknesses as a team, because obviously, I’m new to the to the girls that are here,” Sandera said. “You got to figure out who can do what.”
The team has been preparing for this season by working on doing exercises to help improve their softball skills.
“Usually it’s about getting better all the time working on skills lifting weights running all that. This year has just been to see what where we are,” Sandera said.
Sandera and the other coaches want the team to enjoy every part of this season even practice.
“That practice isn’t a chore. It’s a you know, it’s something that they look forward to those are things that I think that I would like my kids to feel,” Sandera said.
The ability to have a season and get to play softball is something that the softball team is very excited to do again.
“It’s the game. It’s it’s the best thing that I’ve ever been around my life competition playing with kids that want to compete,” Sanders said. “You know, to them on a game day to be on a field means everything to them.”
