Visors on. Cleats tied. Bats back. Varsity softball is in full swing as April approaches. With only two months left in their high school careers, seniors Marissa Gendy, Presley Sacavitch, Layla Huber-Verjan, Faith Soriano, Justine Moore, Mikaya Weinhouse and Cristina Fuentes-Alva reflect on their experiences as softball players at Archer.

What does softball mean to you, and how has being a senior impacted your sports journey?

Marissa Gendy: I am grateful softball came into my life because it came at the most perfect time. I was struggling with who I was, and who I wanted to be. Prior to my first day of practice, I had never even picked up a bat before in my life. And when I got my first glove, I tried to put it on my right hand — it goes on your left hand. I was completely in the dark. But after I learned the ropes, softball was always there for me when I needed it. It was always that thing that gave me clarity. When things are too hard, you hit that ball like it’s the last hit you’re ever going to do in your life. You take all your problems, you put them into that ball, whacking it as far as you can. Softball is an escape. And it gives me the chance to whack all my problems away. In terms of being a senior, it has been a really reflective season for me. I come to practice and actively want to have fun, instead of holding myself to high standards and expectations. As a senior, I can confidently say that softball has changed my life for the better.

Presley Sacavitch: For me, it’s all about the teamwork and the bonds that I have made with the other girls over the course of the four years I played. I’m an active person and softball keeps me sane — sports keep me sane. As a senior, I feel like, over the course of the four years, you’re on the team, the team bonds are solidified. My connections with my teammates aren’t just on the field, but also off the field. I feel like as a senior, I feel more comfortable saying “hi” to all the girls in the hallway. There is a larger sense of community as a senior because you’re leaving. You learn to appreciate that aspect more. I don’t know about the other seniors, but for me, I don’t think I am going to play in college or at the level I’m playing at now. In these last weeks, I want to appreciate that team aspect even more than before.

Layla Huber-Verjan: I did softball camps during the summer in elementary school, and I really realized that it was a sport that I enjoyed. So being able to come to Archer and participate in softball has been really fun, especially on the varsity team this year. With [COVID-19] and then other scheduling problems, I wasn’t able to participate last year, [so] being able to rejoin right before I leave is really powerful. I love getting to bond with other girls in my grade that I had literally never talked to before. I think being a senior has made me take a step back and reflect on my role on the team. It makes me sad because of how soon I’m going to be leaving. But I’m glad I was able to do it in my very last year of being at Archer, and I hope to take all the memories with me to college.

Faith Soriano: Softball has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. It has always been really important to me. Through the sport, my character has definitely developed. After playing for so long, I feel really empowered to explore my passions. I wouldn’t have been as courageous if I hadn’t done softball. It’s given me a lot of long-lasting friendships and taught me a lot of good life lessons. I was definitely nervous to be a senior because I remember coming in as a freshman and being so scared and looking up to the seniors. I definitely think it’s a hard role to be in and fulfill. But it really has made me more aware of the game and how I am as a leader. I have also been more attentive to how I can help guide others, like my younger teammates.

Justine Moore: Softball is a way for me to connect with people in various ways. I do a lot of different extracurriculars, but I think the connections in softball are special. We’re all working towards something, and competing against people truly brings different energy into friendships. It’s always really important for me to play softball, no matter the circumstance. I think as a senior, it’s really nice to be one of the older people on the team. I remember in middle school, I was looking up to the high schoolers and the seniors. So to now be that person that can be looked up to is really nice.

Mikayla Weinhouse: Softball is really shaped who I am as a person, and it’s taught me so much. I’ve been playing since I was 8. I’ve learned so much, from determination and grit to playing through everything. I’ve played in 115º weather for six games. Softball has been a huge part of my life. And I’ve absolutely loved it and getting to play Archer has been a total dream come true. I can’t believe my senior year is already here, and having played on the team for 4 years is just crazy. It’s definitely been really cool getting to play with the seniors and really learning from them both as people and as softball players. I love the bonding that comes out of it and getting to be on the team with freshmen and not just kids your own age. It is weird that I had all these senior role models when I was a freshman, and now, I guess I have become one.

Cristina Fuentes-Alva: Softball is very important to me, and I’ve been playing something similar since I was four. The sport helps you make lots of friends, and build new relationships, which really broadens your horizon. Softball helped me a lot with looking at the bigger picture on the field, and then, the bigger picture in life. The sport is very intentional, and you have to be confident in yourself. This has really helped me with my persona. I stepped into my sports journey as a senior and I felt newfound responsibility. It is really cool to have younger kids look up to you.