Spring is upon us. The weather may tell you differently but March means that winter sports are wrapping up and spring sports are rolling in. Bethany is offering four different spring sports this year. Baseball, girl’s tennis, softball, and golf are all getting ready to begin practices. Although golf operates as a club and is not an official Bethany sport, each of these programs offer ample opportunity for Bethany students to be involved in athletics.
The girls tennis team is looking to build off a 7-11 record the team held last year. Brooke Hershberger (‘14) played number two singles last year and says that, “tennis is a great way to stay in shape.” She also says that the team has a great bond and being around the team and coaches is a ton of fun. Second year coach Rachel Lactot has a great group on her hands and it will be exciting to see what the team can do when they open up their season at Mishawaka Marian on March 25th.
The baseball team is ready to get to the diamond after a long winter of throwing and hitting in the cages indoors. Ryan Duckworth (‘15) hurt his shoulder in the basketball season and is just recently recovering. He is really looking forward to getting to play a sport as he had to sit out for a big chunk of the basketball season. Duckworth says he is going to miss the seniors from last season and that “the freshman are going to have to step up and pay some major innings this season.” The team plays Laville at home on March 25th to start their season.
Softball is another sport which would benefit from warmer weather. The team is ready to best last season’s record of 8-15 and a lot of that will be down to Hanna Hochstetler (‘14). Hochstetler says they “should have a solid infield because of their experience” and “a good outfield because of their athleticism.” After losing only two seniors, the expectations are high for the girls.
Golf is not officially run by Bethany. It operates as a sort of club that Bethany students can be a part of, but it does not require as large a time commitment as other sports. However, the group is still able to compete in sectionals and the IHSAA sanctioned state tournament. Players can be new to golf or experienced athletes who wish to be competitive.
Since Bethany is a small school, it needs each and every person to participate. Multi-sport athletes are what makes sports able to work here. If you are interested in playing one of these spring sports, talk to the coaches.
~Caleb Morris