The sun shines down on the dusty diamond. While the opponents immediately go through their warm up, the LZHS softball team gathers in an open circle wildly dancing and chanting.

            The team gathers in a circle and dances out all their worries to relax before a game. Every player gets a turn to show off her moves in the middle of the circle.

            “I’m not really sure how it originally started before I was in high school, but I know that last year Carlee Parsons and I taught the team a dance from Just Dance and we just started doing it before every game along with our dance circle to calm our nerves while the other team is warming up,” Schroeder said.

            Not only does the softball team know how to have fun and get loose before games, but they connect with each other off the field and create strong friendships, says Caty Grahf, senior catcher. Throughout their seasons, the team creates success on and off the diamond.

            The team’s success lies within each and every player, Michaela Towne, head varsity coach, said. This year’s varsity team is composed of four underclassmen, one returning senior, and nine returning juniors.

            “I don’t think the fact we have a young team affects our season,” Towne said. “It’s not about quantity but quality. The one senior, [Grahf], is a great girl and is a positive person the younger girls can look up to. I am glad to have one senior like her that I know will help out, than ten seniors who don’t help as much.”

            Towne said some other key players that serve as role models for the team are juniors Maria Schroeder, Carlee Parsons, and Maddie Minneci.

            “Maria Schroeder plays third base and has gotten the titles All Conference and all area. Carlee and Maddie are also infield players that have been all conference players. All three of them have been returning letterwinners,” Towne said.

            Besides having great players that reflect the strong program, which has the longest championship banner in the Field House, the team enjoys building strong friendships.

            “I already knew most of the underclassmen before the season started,” Grahf said. “We get along as a team and we definitely don’t look down upon them just because they are younger. We help everyone out on the team and we hold everyone accountable.”

            Schroeder believes that despite the age difference, the team has a close bond which makes the team’s season more enjoyable. Towne also has seen the friendships made throughout the season.

            “Like any other team, the softball team has team dinners some nights,” Towne said, “but the difference is that they do a lot of activities on their own, like going to the movies and hanging out, unplanned by us coaches because they get along so well.”

            Grahf also agrees that the team enjoys being with each other outside of school and softball.

            “Teammates are close, but us softball teammates are even closer,” Grahf said. “We will ask each other to go out to dinner or hang out and we really become a core group of friends.”

            Because the team enjoys spending time with each other, their favorite part of the season is going on a trip and playing in a tournament during spring break.

            “The tournament is something we all look forward to every year,” Towne said. “This year and last year it was in Tennessee. It is nice to play ball in the warm climate with good competition. It is also a great way for us to get to know the team. The [Lady Warrior Southern Classic Tournament at Riverdale high school in Tennessee] is beneficial for softball purposes and team building purposes.”

            Coming back from the tournament, Schroeder agrees that the tournament has helped them build a stronger team.

            “The tournament went very well. It was nice to finally play some games after most of ours were cancelled due to the bad weather at home,” Schroeder said. “The trip definitely brought the whole team closer together and makes me look forward to the rest of the season.”

            Because the softball team develops a strong bond on and off the field, works hard, and looks to improve one practice or game at a time, the team has been rewarded throughout the last decade and added titles to their Field House banner.

            Towne said they have been able to enjoy successful seasons because of their ability to have fun and be focused and mentally prepared on the field.

            “You can’t be stupid to play softball,” Towne said. “It is a mental game because you spend so much time not involved in the action, unlike other sports that are constantly going. The team may enjoy having their fun and being with their friends, but they dedicate their time to improve and reward themselves and their teammates.”