End one sport, start another.  It’s the endless cycle of high school athletics – there’s always a new season starting up just as another ends.  Spring brings about the end of basketball and the stat of America’s Sport:  baseball.

With the baseball and softball teams still young, each new season brings new opportunities and higher expectations than the last.  And every year, the team works hard to achieve those, with this year being no different.

Despite the bad weather, the baseball and softball teams have been hard at work in the indoor practice facility.

“We haven’t been able to scrimmage as much as we wanted,” said second-base Alex Schemel.

With recent winter weather, baseball and softball both have had to miss their usual pre-season scrimmages.

“It has affected our outside practice and our ability to practice fielding,” stated centerfield starter Hannah Sharum.  “We can get grounders in the gym but it isn’t the same as fielding on dirt.  And with outfield it’s hard because you can’t really get a fly ball because of the ceilings.  We don’t get the practice with judging the ball.”

Regardless, the teams still hold high expectations for themselves in the coming season

“For myself, I plan to help my team as much as possible; be a leader and a role model,” said senior centerfield Gus Vitt.

Good leadership brings about great players and a well-balanced team.

“I feel like leadership-wise, the seniors have stepped up a lot.  Our junior class has stepped up also,” said Sharum.

“Weston Rogers is a player to watch,” said Vitt.  “He will be our number one pitcher and he has really improved his game throughout the summer and is going to be a really good pieces to our defensive side of the game.”

Usually a big concern at the start of a new season with any sport is the loss of great players to graduation and moving away, and whether or not there will be underclassmen to fill those holes they left.  Fortunately, good leadership fosters good players.

“We lost one player, but we gained some good players, like Gracie, who can play first, pitch, and hit,” said Sharum.  “So I see it more as gaining rather than losing.”

Sports players typically set goals for themselves to achieve by the end of their season.

“We were really young last year and I believe we will be better this year than last year,” said Vitt.  “I expect us to go as far as state championship if we play together and play smart.”

Schemel shares Vitt’s hopes.  “I expect us to sweep Fayetteville and win state.”

Personal goals help the individual stay focused throughout the season to help better themselves and, therefore, better their team.

“My expectations for myself are just to stay positive and don’t hold back,” stated Sharum.  “I would say just watch everyone.  We all have talent.  We are going to be good this year.”