With the semester winding down and students preparing for finals, EMU’s athletic teams are still practicing, getting ready to head into Thanksgiving on a strong note. EMU’s athletic teams continue to follow  COVID-19 protocols to keep everyone safe going into break. In particular, EMU’s softball team began practice at the beginning of this semester and has done a good job with keeping up with the COVID-19 protocols. EMU’s softball team is happy to even be able to practice and be on the field together because of their Spring 2020 season being cut short due to COVID-19.

For junior Emily Davis, the season being cancelled last year hurt a lot. “It honestly sucked—our team was the closest we’ve ever had,” Davis said. “The team chemistry was unreal, and the fact that it got cut short was upsetting, especially considering we have a whole new team this year, but we are adapting and trying to make it as close as before.” Because their roster is smaller this semester, the whole team is able to practice together. “Mondays are our defensive days, Wednesdays are our offensive days, and Fridays we intersquad. We split up on the field and maintain social distancing and with masks the whole time,” Davis said.

Junior Mckenzie Reams is very happy to be back on the field with her teammates. “It’s definitely a different experience now that we have all these regulations because of COVID, but it’s really good because I missed my teammates, and I’m glad we could do some sort of team practice together even if we can’t do everything we were able to do before COVID,” Reams said. Despite the relief Reams shared, she also expressed  some difficulties. “The hardest part with practicing during this is dealing with the masks and making sure that they’re on at all times and having to maintain social distancing during practice.”  

For first-year Katie Beale, her first year with the team has encompassed a unique transition coming from high school softball to college softball. “The transition is going well. It is a lot different from high school ball, but it is very similar to my travel team, so it isn’t that hard of a transition,” said Beale. “I am most looking forward to actually getting to play with COVID still happening,” said Beale. 

These last final weeks will be exciting going into break for the EMU softball team.