Out of the Park: The Lady Rams Softball Team Is on a Roll
By Isaac Krueger
With their win over Oologah on Thursday night, Sept. 16, the varsity softball record is now 23-4. The Lady Rams are on a run of success so far this season and are currently undefeated. Everything is falling in place for the team this year, and they are becoming a formidable opponent with an impressive record.
However, dominating the competition has not stopped team improvement. Both the players and coaches are 100 percent committed to the team and constantly working to improve. Assistant Coach Natalie Fuller feels confident that this season could be special. Losses in the last two state championship games has given the team a strong motivation to end the season victorious.
“We've been State Runner-Up the last two years. Our drive to win the last game is stronger than ever. Our kids are working hard and staying focused on winning our last game,” Fuller acknowledges.
This improving team is also full of young talent with an outstanding work ethic— the perfect components for a great softball team. They continue to work hard, even with their inherent skill.
Fuller adds “We are extremely young; we have a freshman pitcher, catcher and center fielder, along with sophomores at shortstop and first base. These kids are extremely talented and continue to improve daily… The girls have stepped up in a big way, playing different positions and taking on new roles.”
With this work ethic also comes a tenacity to win. The team has brought a different mentality this year compared to past years. They have created an outstanding environment for success and every player is bought into the system—a crucial factor to their success.
“The shift this year is to finish. Everyone is focused on winning the last game. We bring it to their attention all the time in practice when we make small mistakes. Those small mistakes can mean the difference between being a State Champion or losing the title again,” Fuller notes.
They continue to triumph, but it can be hard to keep the momentum going. The softball team has combated this with their us-against-them mentality, along with embracing the target that has been put on their backs.
Fuller elaborates, “We have to keep playing hard and not take anyone for granted. Everyone gets excited to play Owasso. We have to recognize that and play our game, not anyone else's. We have to keep grinding.”
The team and coaching staff have devoted this season to walking off of the state-championship field victorious. Everything is falling into place for the team. Their success isn’t going to run out anytime soon and playoffs start in two weeks. This is a special season, so come out and support the Lady Rams Softball Team as they continue to dominate!