They haven’t arrived yet.
But the Solebury School softball team is not only on its way, but also having fun on the journey.
Monday’s 16-0 five-inning loss to visiting Penn-Jersey Athletic Association foe Perkiomen School did not dampen the Spartans’ spirits.
“I was on the team last year and I think we’ve gotten so much better,” said Solebury sophomore Alexa Nichols, the catcher. “We got a new coach (Larry Patricelli) this year and he has a lot of experience and he’s really taught us a lot more things than we could have learned on our own. We have good captains and players on this team that are very supportive of each other.
“Making mistakes is OK and learning from them is really the goal. We’ve shown so much improvement from the beginning of the year. We lost our first game and then won three in a row, and it’s really fun to see that kind of improvement here. We went from a very new, young team to where we are now.
“I see so much promise for the future. Everyone is getting better and learning. We’re working on it. The change is coming, and it’s really exciting to be a part of that.
“This was my first year as the catcher so I’m looking forward to next year because I’ll start the year with more experience and I’m excited to see how our team improves.”
Nichols was previously the center fielder.
“It’s a big change, but I’m having a great time with this team. They’re so much fun to be around.”
She also played volleyball for the Spartans.
Senior Frankie Warszawski was on the mound for Solebury. She struck out three batters.
“This was my first year of playing softball and they made me a pitcher,” said Warszawski, who also played volleyball. “It was terrifying, but I’ve been getting better.
“I’ve been waiting to play softball. I had two knee surgeries during high school, which prohibited me from playing so I was really excited to be able to finally do it. It’s been tremendously fun. The team is great, the coach is great. It’s been a really, really good experience for me and I’m so glad I got this chance.
“We have a very young team, and we have about six players with experience. The rest of us are pretty green.
Sophomore Mackenzie Costo, the first baseman, saved the Spartans from being no-hit with a fifth inning single.
“I’m one of the players who has more experience on this team, and I’ve really seen a lot of growth since the beginning of the year,” said Costo, who also plays volleyball. “Our coach has taught us a lot of fundamentals and it’s so great to see everyone getting better.
“Games like this are a little frustrating, but it’s OK because this is such a new team. We know we’re going to make mistakes but we just try to do our best, and we don’t give up. We know we’re not the best team, but everyone is committed. Everyone puts in so much effort. It’s not easy, because so many of the players here are learning a new sport. I think everyone is doing amazing and I’m really looking forward to being a part of this team for the next couple of years.”
The Spartans were stymied by Perkiomen pitcher Claudia Knowles, a left-hander who fanned nine in five innings and faced one over the minimum.
“The girls haven’t seen pitching like that,” Patricelli said. “But they’re learning.”
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