UP Step to the Plate

By Lilly Steele, Staff

Excitement is in the air as softball games are officially starting. New jerseys are being worn in, and the field is raked and ready for use.

With the season just starting, coaches and players are setting their goals for the season.

Sophomore Emma Vargo has played softball for 10 years, starting from Zionsville recreational leagues and advancing from there.

“I think my team’s main goal is probably to construct a tighter offense at the plate,” Vargo said.

Senior Ella Hardin started playing softball in Zionsville’s Little League 10 years ago as well. She now plays as a pitcher and first baseman for the varsity team.

Hardin said she’s ready for the team to go out and win the sectional title this season.

Softball coach Mike Garrett has coached for 15 years, five at ZCHS. Garret said his goals for the season are to continue to develop coaches and players, as well as bring out the best in each person and develop them in their roles to help build on the team’s abilities and connections.

“[Last season] we had some nice wins over Carmel, Franklin Central and others and had several games we just didn’t finish. We intend on doing a better job closing out games,” Garrett said.

Starting off the season, players are thinking about their performance and team dynamics on the field.

“Every single girl offers something super unique and special design to softball, and my teammates are such hard workers,” Vargo said.

Garrett said he is excited to see the seniors that have been committed to each other and the program showcase their skills and personalities.

“This is a player-led team that will win a lot of games this spring, not panic when things get tight because this group has been there before,” Garrett said.

Zionsville has a tough conference full of competitive and strong teams, last year the varsity team was 11-13 and 1-6 in the conference. This year, players are ready to fight for titles and wins.

“We have a really competitive season. We get to play a lot of really great teams,” Hardin said. “A lot of our games are going to be home this season, which I’m really excited for.”

The softball team’s previous season had many close games.

“In the news reports after games, a lot of times they told us Zionsville was just on the wrong side of a really hard game, and that was tough for us to hear,” Hardin said.

Conference games are a chance for Zionsville to show off their hard work.

“In our conference this season, I think we’re for sure going to dominate just because [of] this preseason especially; it’s preparing us so great by breaking down all these fundamentals,” Vargo said. “[We] dominated a lot in our conference, and so I think this year [we are] just leaving off where we were last year and advancing from where we were.”

Vargo said she is excited to finish out her softball career with the other seniors and to make more memories with people she’s played with for years.

“This year it feels a little bit more special because I’ve grown up playing with the girls who are now seniors this year,” Vargo said.

Senior players are getting ready to leave their high school sports career as they start their last season.

“Softball’s been a really big part of my life for a really long time,” Hardin said. “I’ve met so many amazing people through it that I’m so thankful for. I’m just lucky for the fact that I know those people will be with me when I hang this part of my life up, and I’m excited to do that with them.”

Overall, the team is ready to play and win this season.

“We are building confident young women that will take on any challenge and be ultra-competitive but displaying sportsmanship along the way,” Garret said. “We will let others do the talking, we will show up and play ball.”