The Clause

It is a year of promise for the APU softball team.

The team finished the 2011 season well, placing second in the GSAC and eighth in the NAIA, but last year’s success gave only a glimpse of what they hope to achieve this year. This is the team’s final season in the NAIA, and with the confidence gained from last season’s accomplishments, they have plans to take the field by storm.

“Our expectations coming into this season were even higher,”  head coach,Carrie Webber said. “Our goal is to go back to nationals and make that appearance in the championship game. We want to be consistent and be a top-25 team from start to finish.”

Since her acceptance of the head coaching position in June 2007, Webber has led the team to an overall winning record of 108 wins and 93 losses. Although APU’s softball team has yet to ever win a national title, Webber does not want to leave the NAIA without leaving a mark and believes that this year’s team could have what it takes to win it all.

“It’s not just something we want. I think it’s a realistic goal. We have 13 returners, so the people we have are older and stronger,” Webber said.

With five seniors and nine juniors, this year’s team is weighted with experience and poise that will surely facilitate their journey this season. However, it is the leadership of these upperclassmen that will dictate the outcome of this year.

Shortstop Natalie Barnaby, a senior Sociology major, shares the same passion and assurance about this team as her coach.

“I want to win nationals. If we play like we did last year and stay consistent and believe that we can, we will. Last year gave us a lot of confidence to know that we can not only get there but we can play even better than we did last year,” Barnaby said.

Thankfully, maintaining a unified, family environment among the girls that will help to make this dream a reality is no problem on this team. Understanding that their passion is infectious, the seniors on the team understand the importance of their role in ensuring that each team member plays to their highest potential.

“We’ve grown up with the other girls on the team,” senior shortstop Leslie-Anne Picone said. “The most important thing is being that constant encouragement and support to everyone.”

The continual reinforcement of the upperclassmen is what holds this team together, laying an excellent foundation for the returners as well as recruits.

“They’re all really welcoming,” freshman outfielder Renae Chappelle said. “The seniors are all people to look up to. They’re like my role models on the team.”

Hopefully the seniors’ support can help direct the team this season, but the year will not be without its challenges. Last season, the team claimed a critical victory over Concordia University for the second-place spot in the GSAC. This game fueled an even stronger rivalry between the two teams that promises to create an exciting match-up this season.

“Biola is always a big one, but Concordia wants revenge,” said Webber. “We’re in a death match with Concordia.”

The upperclassmen on the team are not intimidated by these matchups, but rather embrace them with pride for their school and their sport.

“We’re no longer the underdogs,” Barnaby said. “We’re now a team to beat.”

This is the kind of unified identity coach Webber hopes will drive the team to reach their goal and satisfy their craving for victory.

“The 13 returners had a taste of going to nationals last year. Once you have that taste, you want it again. They found a hunger they didn’t even know existed,” Webber said.