LITTLETON, Colo. — Players and coaches breathe a collective sigh of relief, as softball teams around Colorado take the diamond to start the fall season at their correct start date. CHSAA made an announcement on Tuesday, August 4 that they would be allowed to start practice the following week.
"It was amazing," Columbine head coach Jim Santaniello said. "We were pretty convinced that the season wasn't going to go down. We had to make modifications to it, but we feel very fortunate to be able to play."
Softball is the only sport with moderate contact that will be permitted in the fall. It joins boys golf, boys tennis, and cross-country as the only four sports to participate before 2021. Columbine senior Neveah Ogden isn't taking that for granted.
"This corona thing has been really hard with not being able to play club softball and you see a lot of the spring sports get canceled and the fall sports not going through, and I feel like it's an opportunity to bring sports back into regular life."
Ogden adds that they have a responsibility to set an example for the rest of the postponed sports.
"I just feel like everyone's watching us and waiting for us to mess up, so we have to make sure we're doing everything we're supposed to be doing so that we can play," she said.
Some of the mandated modifications include socially distancing, sanitizing balls, and a shortened schedule.
"The first thing they did, they cut the games down from 23 to 16 and we won't have regionals this year," Santaniello said. "We'll have state and they'll take the top 16 teams."
That number is cut in half from the teams who would typically compete in a regional tournament. Now, it makes it even harder for the Rebels to repeat as champions.
The cherry on top? Columbine lost its ace pitcher Korbe Otis to a hand injury in the off-season.
"I probably wouldn't be honest if I said it wasn't going to hurt, but the girls are excited to carry on and it's kind of that 'next-man-up' mentality," Santaniello said.
"It's a pretty big loss," Ogden added. "I hate to say that one player wins a game, but as a pitcher, that's a pretty big role and now we have to have some younger girls step up and take her place."
That's where Ogden steps in. As one of the few seniors on this team, she's responsible for fostering a teaching culture.
"I think it's all about encouragement and making sure everyone feels include and not singling anyone out because the might not have the same skill set that you have. You have to make sure that everyone is at the same level of playing that you are."
Santaniello said she learned how to be an effective captain from the leaders on the state championship team.
"Our leadership was fantastic last year. She's just carrying along, holding the girls accountable and talking to the younger girls. I think they realize how important that leadership really is."
With such young talent and dedicated leadership, Santaniello is developing a dynasty of talent in Littleton.
"I think the girls are determined and I think we've established a culture here where the expectation is that we win," he said. "Seeing the girls and how we've interacted this summer, it's super exciting and I think we can get back there."
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