Faces of the game- Chealsea Slider

The bat stays the same. The rules stay the same. The ball is different. The field is different. The love of the game still remains.

She lines up at home plate and concentrates on her swing. The ball flies toward her and she lets it go by. She didn’t like the pitch. Another one comes and this time, she swings the bat and sends the ball far into left-field. Junior shortstop Chealsea Slider makes her way around the bases just like she used to in baseball.

Slider played baseball until she was 12 years old before being introduced to the game of softball.

“At first, I honestly hated it because I absolutely loved playoff baseball and [softball] was so slow paced,” Slider said. “When I started playing up in age groups and playing more competitive teams, I realized that softball was what I want do for as long as I can.”

Slider has plans to play after high school and is doing all she can to create opportunities for herself.

“It has been my dream for just about ever to play college softball, and like every other person, I would love to play division one softball but I don’t know where I will really end up,” Slider said. “I’m playing a lot of showcase tournaments and going to a few college camps to just get my name out there.”

Because the season is over, Slider is able to participate in more camps and tournaments. The Lady Tigers made it to the first round of playoffs but lost to Lufkin.

“I obviously would have loved to have gone a lot further than we did, but I was completely pleased with how we all finally clicked with each other and began getting the key wins that we needed,” Slider said. “We were a kind of a young team this year, so I was pleased.”

Even though the team was young this year, Slider feels that next year will be even better.

“I think we will play well together and compete more with some of the better teams in our district,” Slider said. “I’m super pumped for next year, but it’s also a little bittersweet feeling because it’s going to be my senior year and the last season I’ll get to wear number four for Texas High.”

As shortstop, Slider says that she tries to field the most balls she can and motivate the rest of the team.
“I try to be a leader to the team, and I try to talk a lot to keep myself and everyone just thinking about what the next play is going to be,” Slider said. “But it takes the whole team to win. One position can’t win it all.”