The high school softball season starts the last week in February this year and I’m really looking forward to our upcoming season.  As the returning Frontier League champions, with eight returning starters, we have high expectations with this team. Returning Varsity starters include the team’s only senior Makenzi Shackley at third, junior shortstop Hunter Klamm and sophomore Cassidy Berry at second base. Junior Lauren Mabe will be at first and behind the plate along with Sophomore Ashley Mars. I will be returning in the circle (that’s what we call the pitching mound in softball), joined by Junior Allie Flinn and sophomore Makenzie Lancaster. Sophomore Kaelin Walsh will also return to the outfield this year. The Varsity coaches, Junelle Woolery and Melissa Wible, are returning to coach us to another successful season as well as Susan Coffee as coach of the Junior Varsity team. Band director Emma Willis will join her as the other JV coach this year.

As excited as I am for high school ball to start, for me I never stop playing.  I play on a traveling competitive team called the Kansas City Peppers. We’re part of an organization that’s been around for decades. We play an 18 “Gold” schedule- the highest level of fast pitch. As soon as the last pitch of the high school season is thrown, I’ll be playing non-stop travel ball until August.  After Nationals we’ll start tryouts mid-August and practice until our fall schedule starts, usually in September, which will consist of games against local colleges and a few out-of-town recruiting tournaments. In December we’ll take a little break (usually around 2-3 weeks) and then January brings winter work-outs and indoor tournaments. Then, school ball starts the cycle again. Some people would say that I don’t have a life but I like to say that I just choose to live mine differently.

Being the first few weeks of 2012, our winter workouts and indoor tournaments have begun. I can’t wait to see how this high school season will go. While we will miss last year’s seniors, Hannah Jokisch and Britney Brewer, the Lady Wildcats should be just as strong this year with a chance to build the success we’ve achieved in the last couple years.

Baldwin better be ready because on March 29, they’re going down.