By: Allison Womer ’21
After a difficult varsity softball season, five girls were nominated for continental league awards. Senior, Erin Templeton received a honorable mention. Isabel Macias (‘19) earned an All-state award which is the highest honor any Regis Jesuit athlete has ever received. Freshmen Carlie Jo Caldwell and Chloe Valdez won 2nd team awards. Jacqueline Cal (‘19) also earned an second team award.
“When softball season comes around, we all work so much with six practices a week,” says Jacqueline Cal, “We really have great girls who love to work hard.” With practices lasting for up to 3 and a half hours, depending on their position, the players have to stay committed to their sport. During softball season, the players entirely focus on softball which makes it difficult to manage their other responsibilities.
“My love for the game and my love for my teammates is my motivation. I just have so much love for working hard” Jacqueline explains.
The girls’ devotion allowed them to make it to the state tournament. The team was one game away from making it to regionals.
The softball season is very fast-paced, lasting only eight weeks. “We work on preparing them from start to finish. We start as early as the first week of August in camps to try and get them to come together,” said head coach Merideth Feik . “The idea is as the season moves along, the players are ready. As long as they put their full effort into those eight weeks, then they will keep with what they are doing.”
The Denver Post mentions the importance and difficulty of the continental league. The continental league is considered one of the highest leagues in the sport. The coaches and players are well-aware of this because of their devotion for the sport.
Since the season ended on October 20th, the players are off-season until next fall. Additionally, their end of season banquet was the best way to end their season. The awards are given out to the players and the five girls received their nominations for the continental league.
Isabel Macias was invited to play in the all-state league. Isabel mentions, “It’s a huge honor. It makes you feel really proud of what you’ve been doing. I have a lot of humility towards it. It’s a good feeling.”
The Aurora Sentinel not only mentions all of the girls awarded, but highlighted our Regis girls. They have worked very hard to receive these awards, and “they did a great job this year, rising to that challenge and showing that they deserve to be in that league,” said Ms. Feik.
According to the CHSAANow.com, Regis has never won a continental league before. Which is disappointing, but it creates a sense of urgency to go farther into the tournaments. The team continues to work harder and harder each year with the help of their excellent coaching staff. “Each year, the softball season is a little bit different. And this past season, I have the most fun and I think that has a lot to do with the girls on the team and the great coaches,” Jacqueline further explained.
“We just work so extremely hard, and we appreciate all of the support we get,” states Jacqueline, “It is a very hard league and we work so hard.” The team has and will continue to work harder and harder towards their ultimate goal of winning the league.