NPHS Varsity softball team lets connection pave the way to success
The pillar of success in sports starts at their root: the team. The NPHS varsity girls’ softball team hopes to show how connection improves sportsmanship and overall dynamic while on the field. Any varsity sport comes with trials and tribulations; but the connections made along the way are arguably the memories that stick the most.
The assistant coach of the varsity team, Shawn Richardson, has been coaching softball for 12 years and is going into his sixth year at NPHS. Richardson works with his athletes to continue their growth in multiple ways, “Player development [has two] parts…physical development and mental development. We spend time daily on reinforcing good fundamentals related to defensive, hitting and baserunning. We also focus heavily on game awareness and understanding what to expect in certain situations so we can play and react fast. Lastly, we make sure we try to learn from mistakes we do make in practice and games so we can continue to maximize our opportunities,” Richardson said..
Hanna Porter, senior and team captain, looks forward to spending time with teammates this season. “I look forward to getting closer with my friends and softball really allows you to make strong connections,” Porter said. When there is room for a safe and comfortable environment among a team, there is room for vast improvements on the field. “Something that motivates me to play softball is the adrenaline you get when you’re on the field and playing well or hitting a home run,” Porter said. The energy on the field is reliant on the energy among teammates, therefore the two go hand in hand.
Porter is not the only player who is passionate about team bonding. Krista Dankelfs, junior, and is a pitcher on the team has valued her companions during her years playing softball. “I want to play with my best friends and add onto the memories that I have made in these previous years at the high school.” The girls have noted that relationships on a team are extremely important when spending so much time together, so they make it a priority, determined for success. Not only does team bonding foster a place for growth, but so does will power on the field. “Going out on the field and physically seeing myself improve definitely boosts my confidence and makes me want to play better,” Dankelfs said.
There is always room for improvement, but when a team can acknowledge their mistakes and grow from them, there is no direction other than up. Many have found that it is easy to get into your head when on the field, but having a supportive team to back you up during the hard times is the most important thing. “My general philosophy is to make sure that we’re always moving forward and supporting each other. Negative plays are going to occur in almost every game in every sport, so understanding that, and understanding that we can either try to let it go and move forward or let it ruin the rest of our game. I believe our team culture and support for each player allows us to move forward,” Richardson said.
