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As the NS softball team loaded on the bus, their mood was somber. The weather was cold, with a long bus ride ahead. They were heading down to play Canyon View, one of the teams they lost against the year prior.
But, when head coach Landon Bailey said he needed a team that would play well down there, the girls stepped up. After a well-fought game, the NS softball team beat Canyon View with the final score being 14-2.
The NS softball team is starting the year off on a good note, with a record of 1-0 in region and 3-4 overall. They also ranked third in state for 3A in the preseason rankings.
Despite the high ranking and some early success, the team recognizes that they have work to do.
“We can’t get comfortable. We gotta just keep trying to get better,” Bailey said. “One region win is awesome, but we have 13 more games.”
Some notable stats from the first few games include sophomore Rylee Stewart with 9 hits, senior Shea Rawlinson with an earned run average of 4.20 and senior Alivia Madsen with 6 runs.
Coach Bailey isn’t the only one who sees that the road to success will take a lot of effort..
“Every team always has the potential to be good, so we just need to put our minds to it and work hard,” junior Afton Cook said.
A big part in the success of the softball team is their connection to their coaches. The coaches are dedicated to helping out the girls in any way they can. Whether it be helping the girls work on their softball skills, or helping them in their personal life, the coaches are leaders that the girls can turn to in times of need.
“Softball has a really good relationship with our coaches,” Madsen said. “We take them seriously, which is good. In practice, it’s super intense and serious, but we also laugh a lot.”
Every year, the coaches have a set of goals they wish the team accomplishes in their season. Those goals are to win region, host for state, (which means they are in the top four teams in state), and participate in the second day of state.
“One of our goals every year is always to take region, and I think we have the ability to do that,” Cook said.
Other than those three goals, the team has another goal for this year. The coaches want the girls to work on body language.
“Another goal is focusing on body language and how you’re carrying yourself,” Rawlinson said. “Body language speaks to your teammates and the people around you.”
Oftentimes, the girls have a negative expression on their faces or poor body language if they mess up. The team as a whole recognizes that this creates an opportunity for the opposing team to gain momentum. In order to create a more positive environment, even if they are struggling, the team is trying to accomplish their goal of better body language by appearing confident and happy even in tough situations.
“People always ask me, ‘How do you coach girls?’ I love it,” Bailey said. “They’re just as competitive if not more than boys, they work hard, they listen and they have fun.”
The NS softball team has high hopes for the season, and they are willing to put in the work to achieve their goals.
“When it’s the hardest, that’s when you don’t give up,” Rawlinson said.
