This season, the Westminster Middle School softball team was excellent on the field, and just as great in the dugout. The team played hard all season and grew closer as a group. 

Travis Rutkiewicz was the new Head Coach for the Middle School softball team this year. It was his first year coaching softball, and many think that his positive impact helped them have a fun season. Assistant Coach Margaret Arnett says Rutkiewicz positively impacted the team. “I think he was a great addition. He made things fun and challenging, but everybody felt like they were getting better, regardless of where you started.” 

Coach Rutkiewicz was happy with the team’s growth over the season. “We played some very tough competition, and we got better throughout the season . . . They were good about bringing themselves back up,” he says. “They had good comradery, they were good at being together.” The team spent many afternoons together before their games and was able to become closer. 

Allison Rawls, the team’s pitcher, says she loved the team experience. “I think the season went really well, and all of us girls bonded. I loved this season because of how everyone got to play a role on and off the field, and never stopped going 100%. We would always encourage each other, and build off our mistakes,” says Rawls. 

8th grader Simi Ingley says that she made lots of friends in different grades on the team. “Everyone worked well as a team. It was a good time to bond with other people in different grades and people that you didn’t normally get to see as much.” It can be hard to bond with people in different grade levels, but after-school sports allow students to connect through a sport. 

The softball team manager, Mary Hilton Miller, had a fun season and watched the girls bond. “​​We had a really good season, had lots of fun, and learned a lot along the way.” 

Arnett describes how this season differed from the previous season. “This season had a real community sense, and it was fun watching new players old players and come together as a team.”

Overall, the softball team learned a lot and had a lot of fun throughout the season.