With the first game on March 22, the softball team has begun their season as the returning state champions.
As a part of the winning team last year, junior Bella Jaso explained what winning State meant for the team.
“That was really huge for us because we weren’t very successful the years prior, so it meant a lot to us last year and it was a really awesome run,” Jaso said.
Jaso said that West’s winning State was unexpected and has changed the standard of the team, having higher expectations for themselves.
“We definitely have a lot more to base ourselves off of, we need to have a winning record and we want to be as close to being state champs as we did last year,” Jaso said.
Sophomore Aubrey Barnard said that last season all of her teammates were skilled and they focused on having fun as well as playing.
“We all formed something that not a lot of other people get to experience, so we have that to hold us together and motivate us to go back,” Barnard said.
As a catcher, Barnard has been working with the pitcher to prepare for the season. She has been practicing catching with her and working on their bond to be a strong team.
Jaso said that the team as a whole has been working on conditioning and getting ready for their season ahead.
After having six seniors graduate last year, the returning team members have had to step up and become role models for the underclassmen. Jaso shared that one of her goals this season is to be a good role model for her underclassman teammates.
“We all get along really well, and I feel like we’re kind of like a family and we have a pretty young team this year, so we’re really close and have a lot to bond and relate to each other over,” Jaso said.
Both Barnard and Jaso shared that their favorite parts of being on the team are their friends and the bonds they have made with their teammates.
“We all get along really well,” Barnard said. “We’re all friends outside of softball too so we just have a little connection.”
