The Rise of TL’s Softball Team

Claudie Velazquez

As the winter season comes to an end and the spring season begins, one can only anticipate the return of Terra Linda’s Varsity Softball team. Players are excited to return to the field for the second time since COVID, having stronger motivation and more determination than ever before. The softball team took a hard hit during COVID but has come a long way since then, and as the springtime draws closer, the softball team is ready to come back! 

Sophomore and Varsity Softball player, Sofia Gonzalez, has been playing the sport for ten years. She is entering her second season at TL as a captain alongside Eleanor Johnson, a sophomore. Gonzalez exclaims how her favorite thing about playing softball is “the atmosphere and the adrenaline that comes from it.” 

The team was entirely new for the 2021-2022 softball season and had not existed since before COVID paused them for a year. The team consisted mainly of underclassmen and had many players that were new to the sport. Gonzalez states, “Coming back from not having a softball team since COVID last year was hard, we had all underclassmen and one junior.” Junior Kimberly Alvarez was a part of the Terra Linda Softball team for the 2021-2022 season and was entirely new to the sport as a sophomore. Alvarez exclaims that she’s very athletic and simply “wanted to do something in the spring.” Alvarez, alongside many of her teammates, had no experience with the sport. Though, this did not stop them from reaching their full potential on the field and battling hard from beginning to end! “Last year my teammates put in so much time and effort, even though they hadn’t played softball in years, and I hope to see even more of that this year,” remarks Gonzalez.

The players managed to have an enjoyable season with help and guidance from their coach, Kaitlyn Hager. Alvarez shares how “she was very welcoming” toward the new players. Alvarez said, “I liked that our coach wasn’t just our coach…At the same time, she was like a companion.” Having new players did not stop them from completing their season with fierceness. The support from their coach was crucial for their team chemistry and allowed them to navigate the season as a family. Although there were bumps along the way, the team made significant improvements that did not go unnoticed, as “she did point out after every game all of the accomplishments.” Alvarez shares, “The coach did realize that there were a lot of players that were going to play for the first time, and she was very open about it. She was willing to have patience and teach everyone the basics.”

Team Captain Sofia Gonzalez says that she hopes to “see a lot more determination and stamina, especially in longer games.” Reflecting upon last season, Gonzalez comments, “Although we didn’t have the best record, our coach brought the softball program back, and this year I already see the improvement and have big hopes for many wins.”

With softball season nearing and the comeback of this incredible team on the horizon, we can only hope for more wins, competitive matches, and an overall outstanding season for the Trojans! Prepare for a fantastic season, as these fierce players will dominate the softball field as spring approaches.