Palisades High Schools
March 8, 2021 marked the first day of spring sports for all of District 11. However, for every spring athlete, it was more than that. They were finally back and able to play the sports that they loved after having their seasons cancelled last year.
For me, March 10 was my special day and the first day for the rest of my softball team being outside. Though being on the turf wasn’t the same as stepping onto the field with my cleats, for now, sneakers and the vast football field would do. This week our team had the 4:30 pm timeslot which meant that we would be here until dark, but I didn’t mind.
It felt so good to be back playing ball. Even just doing the normal drills that we do felt good. It was as if a little piece of normalcy was brought back into our lives for that two-hour practice, even despite the masks. It was a good feeling, but also a strange one. I haven’t lined up and thrown with the rest of my team since March 12, 2020 which was our final scrimmage before losing the rest of our season.
Though it took almost exactly one year to finally be back, there was something reassuring about finally playing again. I could see it in the eyes of my teammates too, both with the girls that I played with last year and with the new additions. The difference was notable. Each play was taken with more hustle, each mistake was noted and remembered, and every time that we would play a practice game, everyone wanted so badly to win. Though no one said it out loud, missing out on our season last year made us all be more thankful to be here this year.
As the sky grew darker, practice was called. My team had won the final practice game, meaning that we didn’t have to carry any of the supplies back to the supply closet. As I walked back through the gates of the stadium with my teammates, our happy laughter echoed into the night sky. It had been a good practice, and even just a few practices together could make us feel like a team again.
