As the new season begins, old things come to an end in order to help strengthen a family bond. A change of scenery welcomes more opportunities for the Lady Tigers Softball team and encourages improvement.
The process of building a new softball field began at the start of the 2025-2026 school year and concluded by the time students returned from Christmas break, just in time for softball season.
“The new field is much more efficient in terms of layout, drainage and overall functionality,” head coach Chealsea Slider-Angel said. “It allows for smoother practices, better game-day operations and a safer, more consistent playing surface, which ultimately helps our athletes perform at their best.”
This new space helps players stay in a routine since most of the other schools play on turf. This change allows them to hold the same advantage as other teams instead of switching back and forth between textures.
“We are all pretty used to playing on turf, [and] this field is definitely better quality than our dirt one,” senior Kate Cook said. “I’m most excited about getting to be on the field with people that I’ve played with my whole life, one last time.”
Although others may see the field as just a place outside that gets walked over, it holds many memories for the team members. With the old field being replaced by a new one, lots of emotions rise from this change.
“I’m most excited about having a space that truly reflects our program [and] gives our athletes a place they can take pride in, where they can train, compete and grow together,” Slider-Angel said. “It’s more than just a field, it’s a home for our team and a place where memories will be made.”
As the season begins, the players hope for a good season to come. This field brings newer conditions encouraging more opportunities.
“Freshman year we didn’t go to the playoffs. Sophomore and junior year, we only went to round one,” Cook said. “I honestly think that we have the potential to win [out] district this year, [and it is] my last year, so I really hope we do go all the way.”
As the new field begins being used, new accomplishments will be stained into the ground and watched as new members grow into better players.
“My freshman year on varsity had a lot of learning experiences, but I had a great time overall,” sophomore Taylor Tullos said. “For my sophomore year, my goal is to keep a .350 batting average and hopefully hit a homerun.”
