School team sports is about improving from one end of the season to the other, and the Bravettes varsity softball team accomplished that.
They started out their 10-17 season with just one victory in their first 10 games.
It was a young team at the start – and it will be again next season.
“We’re returning eight starters and one girl who came off the bench,” Coach Jeremy Van Zee told KGRN’s Chris Varney on his radio show.
“We gave some leaders in our incoming junior class,” Van Zee said. “Off-season work helps significantly.”
Montezuma suffered seven one-run losses. “We had several two- and three-run losses,” Van Zee said. “We were in most games. And the girls responded well to those tough losses.”
Van Zee said the Bravettes’ defense “made significant improvement from last year to this year.”
Defense starts with pitching, “and Kallie Robison will be looking for some big things next year,” Van Zee said.
“We need now to focus on our hitting,” Van Zee said. “We stole bases this year.” Critical next year will be more hits and more opportunities to steal.
The Bravettes will have four girls back who earned mention this past week on the all-SICL teams. They are center fielder Madison Van Zee, infielders Izzy Roorda and Jadyn Sharer, and pitcher Robison.
“We’re excited,” the coach said. “There are a lot of positives.”