As players exit the field for the final time of the 2024 softball season, coaches immediately began planning for the next season. Returning players may need coaching to improve skill, changes in position may benefit the team and new players fill the gaps replacing the graduating class. With each click of the clock, the 2025 season gets closer to starting and players and coaches are filled with excitement of the possibility to vye for a state championship again. 

Head Coach Chelsea Slider-Angel and assistant coach Courtney Cooper dedicate their time to helping prepare their athletes for an amazing season.

“We had a big graduating class last year, but we have very talented returners that will slide into those missing spots,” Slider-Angel said. “I am incredibly confident and excited for this upcoming season.”

Players must believe in themselves to set the stage for a good outcome. A key factor of success requires being around the right people. Not only do their physical abilities need to be up to speed, it also requires them to be strong-minded. 

“Overall, we knew we had the talent that was coming in,” Cooper said. “It was a year of rebuilding, for our confidence and identity as a softball program.”

Success on the field starts with everyone doing their part, both players and coaches alike. When each person takes responsibility for their role, the team increases its chances of achieving greatness.

“I spent many hours over the summer getting together a good off-season schedule,” Slider-Angel said. “We need to get stronger and faster as well as continuing to improve our skill sets.”

Coach Slider runs the in-school workouts with coach Cooper by her side, and they push each athlete to their full ability.

“I think so far this off-season all of the girls are working hard to get stronger and faster which will benefit us in many aspects of the game,” Slider-Angel said. “It is evident that my girls are putting in extra work and have a huge desire to have a winning season and make it far into the playoffs.”

Both coaches have good experiences with softball, from playing to coaching. They want their athletes to go as far as they possibly can with this sport. 

“I have been coaching for four years and they have all been here at Texas High,” Slider-Angel said. “I helped coach multiple travel teams and gave lessons throughout my time in college and high school.”

It takes more than just what players do at a school-functioned practice. Adalyn Vazquez, a junior at Texas High, steps into her role as a leader this off-season by encouraging and pushing her teammates to be their best. 

“Each girl puts in the work, doing private lessons and showing up to each practice,” Vazquez said. “I always try to be the one to step up and outwork everyone, even on the harder days.”

Hard work and dedication always pay off and lead to good things. Making it to the playoffs may be difficult, but it takes everyone to succeed. 

“Due to all the work that we put in during the off-season last year, we reached our goal of going to the playoffs,” Vazquez said. “We ended up beating Hallsville for the first time in eight years.”

The real significance of softball lies beyond playing the game itself.

“It’s always bigger than softball, and this game is a vessel to life,” Cooper said. “Building relationships, trusting your teammates, effective communication, how to respond to failure, supporting the success of others, encouraging others when they need it, setting goals and the value of hard work are all shown and developed when you play the game of softball.”