“Take back the SCAC” is the message emblazoned on every shirt as the ball claps against the player’s glove. This message and the intensity of the practice embody the softball team’s approach this year — a fresh start for a new season. In the 2022 regular season, the team started off with a 0-12 record but gained traction to ultimately finish the season with a 21-19 record. Head coach Abigail Martin expressed her goal of keeping the momentum from the previous year.

“Getting out of the gate strong and staying strong is something we want to focus on this year. As I said, we had an 0-12 start, and it was tough last year and very eye-opening. So one of the things we want [is] to focus up [through practice] to the 10th and not look back while playing our best softball all the way until SCAC [ the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship],” Martin said.
In order to complete this objective, the coaching staff implemented several changes to the team. One such change was the implementation of leadership groups which would share the burden of a captain to cultivate closer relationships within the team and not overwhelm a single person with a captain’s responsibilities. Madison Horn, shortstop and senior neuroscience major, noted the importance of sharing the work among the team.

“Each group is involved in leading one aspect of the group culture and what we have going on. For example, I’m a decider and we typically make the decisions on what to wear for practice, and if a conflict arises, then we help with conflict resolution,” Horn said.

These reforms are meant to help achieve the ultimate goal that lies on each member’s shoulders both metaphorically and physically — to win both the regular season and the SCAC. Martin stressed the importance of these changes for continuing the strong bonds among the players from the previous year, as well as getting every player involved in the process to make the season better.

“This team loves and has a lot of fun with each other. That’s something we obviously noticed in the fall. Despite bringing in a lot and graduating a lot, they do an amazing off-the-field job to focus on our goal of taking back the SCAC and we [the coaching staff] take pride in that,” Martin said.

This camaraderie has led to many players looking forward to the season and being eager to fulfill their personal and team goals for the season ahead. Christina Garcia, senior political science major, expressed confidence in obtaining her goals for her senior season and expressed her hope for the team.

“As a team, I hope we just have a great season, have a positive attitude and continue to just play our best every single day. We’re a very good team this year and I know we’ll do fantastic in the season,” Garcia said.

Garcia’s teammate Marina Delaluna, shortstop and junior accounting major, also shared her goals for the season. Delaluna, like Garcia, shared confidence in her own goals, as well as the team’s and their hope to be able to put everything out onto the field.

“Throughout the lineup, you got nine hitters, so just having everyone feed off each other. It’s not just the top of the lineup, it’s the entire lineup. It’s also just consistent hitting throughout the game. Like if you’re having a bad day, someone will help pick you up, but you also need to focus on your next bat. I think we just need to look ahead and not behind us if we’re having a bad time,” Delaluna said.

With their new measures and goals in place, the Trinity softball team winds up to start their season in an away game in Seguin against Texas Lutheran University on Friday, Feb. 3. Their first home game will be against Coastal Bend College on Feb. 4.