With the unpredictable weather of the spring season, the softball team has been struggling to play their scheduled games. Despite this setback, the girls continue putting in hours indoors, including in the weightroom. However, with the weather becoming more manageable, the team has been able to play competitive games with schools like Grayslake Central, Marengo, Warren and Antioch.
“I think it’s important for us to go over our game goals and get focused before we take the field. If we have a scouting report on any players, it will be addressed before the game. You cannot fix anything major before a game, but having a set warm-up routine allows girls to get into a good mental space before we take the field,” said varsity coach Lea Corcoran.
The girls have had some wins as well as many battles against aggressive teams. Marengo High School’s varsity softball team won State last year in the Class 3A division. The team did score five runs, the most runs scored on Marengo thus far in the season. The team also took on Warren this past Saturday, and junior Grace Brown raised the runs to a total of five after a grand slam.
“The best feeling is when one inning or even a single play can take the entire team out of a mental slump and help us approach a comeback. Hitting that grand slam not only pumped me up, but it made my team’s energy rise up,” Brown said
The varsity team has made a significant progress because on the 2018 roster, every player participates in a travel program during the off-season months. They are continuing to work together on and off the field and become mentally stronger as a whole.
“The mental aspect of the game is definitely the hardest because you have to stay out of your own head to be successful. Compromising this mentality can hurt your team as an entirety. We try to be as positive as possible and remain aware of every situation,” said sophomore Faith Standerski.