Typically softball isn’t seen as a “real” sport due to being overshadowed by baseball. However, as a member of the Westwood varsity softball team, we didn’t care about a small problem like that, we had a whole season to think about. In the 6 years of softball I played, being on the Westwood varsity team has to be one of my favorite times as a softball player.

The 2023-2024 Westwood softball season had an interesting start for tryouts, there was only one day where the coaches managed to see the potential players on the field. Out of 3 days for tryouts, 2 of those days were raining. Despite the weather going against us, we had tryouts in the weight room and the small gym to play a mini version of softball, like kickball but with your hands. On the third day, team were determined and the next day was the first day of official practice.

During the beginning of the season, it rain quite often. Games were postponed and practice was cancelled but that didn’t stop the spirits of the Westwood Warriors. Their first step into the season started off with the Westwood Dobson softball tournament. Although their first match had a tough battle against Williams Field, the rest of the tournament went win after win. Until the Westwood Warriors fell short to the Chandler Wolves.

The most memorable part of the season was going against Basha and Mountain View. Basha High School is the #1 in the state and ranked #13 in the country from last season and everyone on the team wasn’t looking forwarded to the game because the team believed that we had no chance against them. However, coach Dale said otherwise, she told us that all we need to do is play our game. She kept on with words like be loud or give it all you have. This really give us moral to at least try despite the odds going against us. And finally, we landed a point before they could land any on us. This really hyped us up because Basha’s coach had to come to the mound the talk to the pitcher. When this happens, that means were loud enough to get to them. We managed to land another point on Basha. Although it might not seem much, we did what the past 3 teams that went against Basha, which were ranked higher than us,  didn’t do.

The game against Basha carried the momentum to the Mountain View game. The game against Mountain View was a very close game. For the first two innings, Mountain View landed 3 points on Westwood but that didn’t discourage us. In the fourth and fifth inning, Westwood came back with 3 points as well. However, Mountain View managed to squeeze in the last point in the sixth inning. The game ended with a 3-4 score, a win for Mountain View but another push of the Westwood Warrior to play them again with better plays and extra effort.

Throughout the season, the Westwood Warriors worked to achieve a team goal and personal goal to better themselves for the team. Goals were made and shared between the team and coaches. During the last month of the season, we shared our personal goal to everyone. It didn’t matter if it was small, we had to achieve it before the season ends. Even coaches made goals.

The season ended with 2 wins. One on senior night against Skyline and another one against Dobson on our home turf. There was most definitely tears shared as coach Dale gave her last after game speech, but she reminded us we’ll see each other one last time at our softball banquet.

I decided to ask our varsity captain of the year, senior Mackenzie Cooper, one last question about the season. She said, “I think the season went really well. We made the improvements we needed to make for the program to grow, and I think our team is a huge foundation for future seasons. As captain, I’m really glad I got to be a leader for these girls, they are why I come to practice and they made every practice so fun.”