After three years of regional championships, it’s safe to say that the Warriors Softball program has gotten accustomed to holding a trophy at the end of the season. However, like many of the winning programs in today’s sports climate, a medal often becomes the lowest bar of success. NAHS Softball is no exception. The expectations for a victorious season are as high as ever but with a rocky 6 and 4 start (with a 1 and 1 record in the region), will the Warriors continue to bring home the hardware?
Saying that the North Atlanta Softball program is in its golden years would be an understatement. Over the past three seasons, they have boasted an undefeated, 32 and 0 record in the 6A region. However, the fall 2023 season is not off to an ideal start, recording their first regional loss since 2020. After coming into the season ranked tenth out of all 6A opponents, they have now fallen to eighteenth, not exactly a favorable position. Thankfully, the Warriors are used to grim starts like this and are capable of climbing back into a winning position. The last championship seasons have seen most of their losses concentrated during the first few games, very similar to that of the current season. Assistant Coach William Leonard isn’t the slightest bit worried about whether this year’s squad can meet their lofty expectations. “We’re just as strong as previous years, with even more depth at the positions,” said Leonard, “We aren’t worried about having to meet any expectations, the focus is to get out there every day and let our game do the talking.”
One thing that the softball squad definitely won’t need to be worrying about is talent. The team is stacked with seasoned veterans like Leela Langston and Taylor Ryan as well as skilled rookies such as Sophie Yano and Amelia Teeple. In fact, the aforementioned Leela Langston will be hitting more home runs for the College of Charleston Cougars next August. Individual skill may be important, but softball demands strong team chemistry to really garner wins. “We’ve all grown close while sharing the field,” said Junior Charlotte Smith. “Personally, I think it’s the most important aspect of winning games.”
As the season is still young, there’s plenty of games left to display their softball prowess. Placing an early evaluation on the squad would be unfair as there’s no telling what this team can do and considering the last three years. It’s safe to say anything is possible on the North Atlanta diamond. Repeating region championships four times is a difficult task, but the Warriors Varsity Softball team are the girls for the job!
