Girls softball is currently 10-4 overall and 4-1 in the conference as they continue their season.

Unlike a lot of other sports, this year’s softball season will include playoffs. 

“We are playing almost a full schedule. We also have playoffs since spring sports missed out on it last year. Varsity has 13 and JV has 15 games,” said varsity coach Amanda Rodriguez.

Because this season is condensed, players have fewer practices between games to improve. 

“The season is shorter than usual, but we have the same amount of games. So we will have less practices but more games,” said sophomore Morgan Nielsen.

The team is also taking precautions for health and safety due to COVID.

“We have to try and stay as far apart as possible. We have to keep our masks on in the dugout, but we can pull it down in the field and when we are hitting,” Nielsen said.

This year the four seniors were named captains and had Zoom meetings to prepare them for being leaders on the team. 

“We are a young team, and we have a lot of rookies on the team, but they are executing the ball like nothing I have ever seen before. Each and every one of the girls on this team is working to become one percent better every day, and taking something out of every rep that they get, or every game that we play. Because of COVID, our mentalities have changed for the better, and we are taking something out of every single time we step on that field, and I truly believe that we will do some amazing things this year just because of that,” said senior Jessica Pozezinski.

Rodriguez was promoted to varsity coach this year after last year was supposed to be her first year as the JV coach. Because the season was canceled, she was unable to get to know her players very well.

“Last year would have been my first year coaching softball at North, as a JV coach. So I missed out on getting to know some of the players well because I only coached them for a few weeks. Fortunately, softball was played outside of school, so the girls did a pretty good job of staying in ‘softball shape’,” Rodriguez said.

The girls on the team have love and support for each other, encouraging themselves to get better.

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Sophomore Isabella Lizano runs to base.

“This team is one of the most supportive and encouraging teams I have ever been on. When you go up to bat, you know that there is a whole dugout that is cheering you on and believing in you 100 percent, even when you don’t fully believe in yourself. It is so refreshing to be on such a hard-working and energetic team, and I cannot wait to see where that brings us,” Pozezinski said.

The girls are welcoming to the new players on the team. Neilson made varsity last year, but due to the season getting canceled, this was her first year playing with them. 

“It’s very fun. They are all so nice and welcoming and all in all just a good environment,” Nielsen said.

Players had to deal with the first three weeks of their season overlapping with fall sports. It was harder for the girls to be able to switch between the seasons with little practice, but now they are able to focus directly on softball again. 

“The biggest challenge was the three-week overlap with volleyball. I had players that played volleyball, and I coach volleyball.  But we made it through that hurdle. Now just continue working on team chemistry,” Rodriguez said.

The seniors are grateful to still have a season and get ready for college. Two seniors are committed to playing softball in college: Pozezinski at Concordia University Wisconsin and Shannon Hill at Carroll University.

“I honestly don’t think that last season getting cancelled is going to affect this season in any way. However, I do feel like the girls and I are a lot more grateful for this opportunity and are trying our best to not take any days for granted. We are so ready to get out on the field and make some memories, but are taking this season one day at a time and are thankful every day for the ability to play,” Pozezinski said.