Sports

Playing the field: Students suit up for town softball league

Lena Ahrens, Social Media Manager • February 18, 2020

Megan Lopez (far left) and her team posing for a picture after placing third in the 2019 tournament.

In high school, many people participate in a sport or extracurricular activity. Outside of high school and club athletic programs, there are various leagues that people can still play through, including town softball.

Many high school students at PV are playing town softball; specifically in the Southern Wapsi Girls Softball League. The senior softball teams include four town-based teams from Iowa that compete against one another: LeClaire/Princeton, Parkview, Eldridge and Donahue. They play approximately 13 games and end the season with a tournament.

Town softball can be beneficial for many different reasons. There is no experience needed in order to play, there are no tryouts, people learn good sportsmanship and how to work as a team.

Melissa Frazer, head coach of the LeClaire/Princeton team, appreciates the benefits and enjoys the inclusiveness of town softball. “The travel is all in the local area, it is good exercise, the girls are respectful, it is still competitive and the girls play to win. Everyone plays at least a few innings every game,” she stated.

Senior Megan Lopez has played town softball since she was 12 and is currently playing for the Parkview team. “I enjoy the atmosphere of town softball because while it’s competitive, it is a ton of fun,” she expressed.

Town softball is also beneficial for financial reasons. Most high school and club sports are expensive to participate in, but this league makes it possible for parents to involve their daughters in softball without the additional expenses.

Junior Reese Wendell is going into her fourth year of playing for the Princeton/LeClaire team and has made many new friends because of it. “I enjoy all the fun people I get to be around while I play a sport I love,” she said.

The students that are part of a team in the Southern Wapsi Girls Softball League enjoy the experience it provides and how the league is beneficial to them. They have made many friends and continue to play because the positive environment allows the girls to play the sport they love.

The registration to join the LeClaire/Princeton team is now open until March 13 with no late registrations after March 27.

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About the Contributor

Lena Ahrens, Social Media Manager

Lena Ahrens, 18, is a senior at Pleasant Valley High School and was born and raised in the Quad Cities. Ahrens enjoys spending time with her friends and family. She is also a huge fanatic of all dogs including her own beloved puppies, Sweetie, Baby, Robi, Alafair, and Clete. Ahrens is involved in many activities such as dance, track, and softball. If you know her well, you would see her having a dance party with her sister, Ella, or playing Minecraft with her brother, Lincoln. One of her passions is photography, which she dreams of possibly turning into a career working for National Geographic one day. Ahrens plans to attend University of Iowa in the fall and major in biology. A fun fact about Ahrens is that she loves dinosaurs and has seen the Jurassic Park movies over 100 times in her life. You might find her eating her favorite Whitey’s ice cream flavor, moose tracks, with her best friend, Morgan. Her hobbies include traveling, crafting, eating food, and playing with her dogs.