As spring sports started up the Lady Jacket Softball team had their first game of the season against Yucca Valley and tied with a score of 2-2. This year’s season is starting off strong along with a tie and playing in the annual tournament in Needles. The coaches and girls come together to make a great start to the season and how they can prepare themselves for their upcoming games. Some players on the team had an input on what they can do better performance wise by themselves and as a team.

    First baseman Olivia Ingram had an input on how she thinks this season will go which she stated, “I think this season will go very well actually. We have a good group of ladies with us this year, mostly seniors. We all know how to play and we all are here to win and hopefully bring a Championship to PV for girls softball.” Olivia has a lot of confidence in her team as well as herself. She wants to make Palo Verde High School history by going far with softball this year. She plans to go head to head with the teams in our league and play hard all together in order to win. During her first game she was a little nervous and struck out on her first at bat but as the game progressed she started to shake those jitters off and get her head in the game, she ended up hitting an RBI single and 4 doubles. Olivia’s goal for this season is to work together and build a championship team. She stated, “My main goal for myself is to stay focused and try my best like there is no tomorrow and to always put my best foot forward for the team and lay everything I have out there.” 

    Another player on the team is Third baseman Madison Dagnino, she had a few words to say about how she thinks this season will turn out. “This team has a lot of talent and if we give it our all and sell out and put out bats to the ball, we could be a really good team,” stated Madison. For this year’s season she expects to go further this year than they did last year and to win more games. Madison had some nervousness in the first game where she thinks she could’ve played better. She stated, “My performance from the tournament I think I played well but now it wasn’t my best, I had good defense but base running and hitting wise I had a few mistakes that I just need to work on and be ready for the rest of the season to get started.” A goal she has for the team and herself is to talk more in the dugout and on the field, just being loud. Having communication is a very big thing while playing softball in order to be ready for the ball and stay alert at all times. Lastly, Madison is excited about making new bonds with her teammates, the van rides to away games, and making the best of this year’s season since it’s her last year.

    Finally, the team this year has a good group of girls playing. As new teammates come along to the team, the girls plan to create new bonds with them in order for them to feel welcome at these tournaments, away and home games. As the season progresses there are going to be some tough teams they are going up against. If they stay together as a team and use their communication skills, along with working on their offense and defense they will go a long way this year to make another title for Palo Verde High School.