Rose ’09 connects for a single earlier this season. Photo by Colleen ’10

The varsity softball team is off to its best season in years, having already gone undefeated in six non-league games.  The players account their success to their new head coach Kenneth Gal and a fresh mentality about the game.
The Mustangs continued their streak by beating Windward 15-3 on Tuesday March 24 in a game which they had expected to be their most difficult so far.

The team will begin its Sunshine League schedule, which will include games against ranked teams Marymount and Notre Dame, after Spring Break.

“We have won all of our games because of a mindset fueled by the coaches and our new drive to win – it’s 100% intensity all the time,” said co-captain Hayley ’09.  “Softball before was more about goofing around and having fun, but now we’re much more driven to do well.  We’re much more intense and productive, and the coaches are teaching us so much.”

Many credit the improvement to the new head coach, Kenneth Gal.

“Coaches are so important because they can inspire you to do so much better, and our coach has really inspired us while at the same time really improving our skill set,” Hayley said.
Gal was hired as the seventh and eighth grade softball coach last year and moved to head varsity coach at the beginning of this year’s season.  Collicutt said they decided to hire the new coach based on team performance and student feedback.

“We wanted to step up the program because we felt like softball was getting left behind,” Collicutt said.

Although the team has been doing much better this year, Collicutt said their improvement cannot be fully assessed until their harder games. The team is most nervous and excited about their game against Marymount High School, whose team won league last year, on April 16.

“Our coaches feel that we’re better, our players feel that we’re better, we’re slaughtering the other teams, but we can’t assess how far we’ve come until we play more difficult teams,” said Collicut.
Although the softball team has really stepped up this season, the team members say they are still having a fun season.

“I have to say I love how everyone on our team is friends and enjoys one another’s company,” said Lauren ’11.

“There is a lot of laughter as well as serious care for the game going on.”

Gal is optimistic about the season.

“I’m delighted by the girls’ enthusiasm, passion, and commitment,” Gal said.  “I think that the team can really go far – I’m excited about their potential.”