This article was written by BenitoLink intern Ariana Rivera. Lea este artículo en español aquí.
Despite challenges, the Hollister Heat 10U travel softball team persevered and made it to the gold bracket championship game at its tournament in Turlock on June 15.
Though they lost the title game 5-3, the local girls were rewarded by leading drills at their next practice.
Both the coaches and team expressed how they would use the experience to continue to grow together.
“We’re growing and getting better each [tournament], and this is the first championship we’ve made,” coach Brittany Renz said. “We’ll be on this hype for a while. Ending like this, the girls are definitely on their uphill.”
In a typical softball tournament, the top performing teams from pool play advance to the “gold bracket” elimination games the following day.
Renz, a former Hollister Heat player herself, along with Ronnie Fhurong, have been coaching most of the girls on the team for more than five years, but the team itself came together this May.
“You can’t buy experience,” Fhurong said. “As the girls continue to play tournaments together their experience will build. They’ll learn the pace of the game, how fast the game should be played, and that will take them to the next level.”
Catcher Shiloh Deforest has been with the team for three years.
“We tried our hardest, we were loud in the dugout, and we got our bats moving,” she said.
Centerfielder Sophia Renz agreed.
“I think we really just had the focus this tournament, we worked hard as a team,” she said.
Shortstop Saydee Kakebeen said the players always support each other and have become best friends, leading to a high-energy environment.
“I have the best coaches, my teammates are really nice, and that makes it really fun,”she said.
When the players were asked about their favorite memories, several mentioned moments off the diamond.
“Besides the games, I would say my favorite part was swimming with all of my friends,” said Brooke Duncan, who plays first base.
After bonding as a team over the weekend, the players were rewarded the following day by getting full control of practice.
“We had promised the girls that when they made it to a championship game, they could coach us the following practice,” Renz said. “We were going to give them Monday [practice] off, but they said, ‘Nope. We’re going to coach you guys.’”
That practice day, players came dressed as either Renz or Fhurong. The players made their coaches hit, run bases and even slide.
“I have a big bruise on the back of my leg from sliding, but it was fun,” Renz said. “The girls thought it was the best thing ever.”
The BenitoLink Internship Program is a paid, skill-building program that prepares local youth for a professional career. This program is supported by Monterey Peninsula Foundation AT&T Golf Tour, United Way, Taylor Farms and the Emma Bowen Foundation.
You must be logged in to post a comment.