The softball season has been moved to spring this year. Along with this change come several new circumstances that Fair Grove High School has not had to deal with before. While this change is a chance to bring in new talent from the girls who play volleyball and softball, it will also steal some of the old talent for the girls that must now choose between soccer and softball. Stacy Beckley softball coach, recognizes this, stating, “The girls can’t do both and it is disappointing but there is no good way to avoid it.”

Katelyne Cloyd (12th) dislikes the season change because it interferes with the soccer season, and now she will no longer be able to play softball. “I’m going to miss my teammates the most. The softball players are just so crazy and fun to be around,” commented Cloyd.

“It’s really hard to choose between two sports you like… play whichever sport you have more of a passion for and enjoy playing,” advised Taylor Bell (9th) to other players who are in a situation similar to that of Katelyne Cloyd and Taylor Battenfield (10th).

“In recent seasons half our games we have lost because of challenging bigger schools,” Coach Beckley notes. Most of the bigger schools stayed with the fall season, which will bring big changes to the competition the girls will face. Now that not every school made the switch, this alone will cut out nearly ten of the girls season games. In reaction to this Coach Beckley is filling those gaps in the season with teams from smaller schools.

“It was really a conference decision. The coaches and athletic directors of the Mid Lakes Conference were very involved. All schools within our conference, with the exception of Pleasant Hope, decided to make it a two year trial,” stated John Link, Fair Grove Public Schools superintendent. Link also explained that a majority of the schools wanted to get away from the volleyball season so there would be an opportunity to participate in both softball and volleyball. Fair Grove is the only school in the conference that also has soccer, so unfortunately girls still have to decide between two or three sports.

“I like it for the fact we get volleyball girls but I don’t like the type of season, with all of the snow and rain. I’d rather play in the fall,” Beckley explains.

The way Lorin Weaver (10th) sees it, “It will bring more players in.” The common ground for most of the players is that with the volleyball players in the mix, that means new talent. Overall most of the girls remain optimistic about the upcoming season.