Softball gets ready to bat their new season

The Samo softball team will be kicked off their Spring 2017 season on Mar. 21 with a home game against Hawthorne High School. The team has been practicing since the beginning of the school year, improving their skills and teamwork to be at their best. Coach and Samo alumni Kalie Nakao (’11) has been working with the girls on specific elements of their gameplay and conditioning them to be at their physical best.“(We) want to focus on mental toughness and keeping the high energy and momentum the entire game,” Nakao said. “(Our) goals are to win Ocean League and CIF this year.” In 2015, Nakao replaced coach Debbie Skaggs and prepared the team for their 2016 season. Although the team did not reach a CIF title, after being with the team for two years, Nakao is confident that they are stronger than ever and ready to take on their 2017 season.“We know what our coaches expect from us and we know that we only expect greatness from ourselves.  I believe this season will be very promising,” Kenedee Jamerson (’17) said. “We always strive to get to CIF. Even last year we made it all the way to the semifinals and this year we hope to make it all the way.”In addition to their natural motivation to win, the team will be losing a handful of valuable seniors.“[We] have a very senior heavy team and they want to finish how they came in which was winning cif when they were freshman,” Nakao said.Furthermore, Jamerson and Makensey Druckman (’17) agree that they want to make the most out of their last year.“Since I am a senior, I definitely have extra motivation to win CIF because not only will it be amazing to get a ring this year but also I want to play as long as I can with my team and my best friends,” Druckman said.“I have been motivated to win CIF since my sophomore year.  As a team we have worked harder and harder every year.  We can only go up from where we are at right now,” Jamerson said.