Club softball approaches new obstacle

With the addition of a varsity softball team next year, some students are already overlooking the club softball team that already exists at Boise State. With games in both the fall and spring, women at BSU are set for year-round competition on the diamond.

While the club is open during fall season and has no cuts with the exception of a traveling roster, the spring season will see the club cut down to twelve players. The reason they don’t want to cut anyone until spring is to give some new girls a chance to try out before it becomes closed off.
The playing time for those twelve players is going to be based upon how much they make themselves a part of the daily workings of the team. They’re expected to participate, come to practice, attend their fundraising events and help out with community service projects.

“Obviously the main purpose of the club is to play softball,” Club President and catcher Victoria Wolter said. “We want to be competitive, practice hard, try to improve our skills, to have enjoyment and make friends. We also do community service projects and try to give back to the community.”

The struggle to raise money can be daunting and Wolter recognizes that the team relies heavily on help from others.
“At the same time, we aren’t heavily funded and we look to the community for support,” Wolter said. “We also do fundraising and the university matches some of it.”

The team can be found working at concession stands at basketball games, football games, concerts and Idaho Steelheads games in an effort to raise funds. Lately they’ve also been selling Steelheads tickets.

Most club sports have to do some sort of fundraising because they don’t get enough funding from the school to pay for traveling costs and the other necessities of the team. “Fundraising is fundraising,” Wolter said. “It’s not always fun but it’s something you have to do. If you want school and community support, you have to show that you can support yourselves first.”.

The team has still had time to do a pretty good job on the field despite having all of these distractions. They’ve had some new pitchers added and some coaching changes, but their outlook remains positive. 

“Since my first year, we’ve lost crucial pitchers.,” Wolter said. “Pitching is a big part of the success of
the team.”

Through it all the team continues to get better.
“I think we’ve improved this year,” Wolter said. “We’ve won some games this fall. We have good returners, some good promising freshmen and this coaching transition.”

The team doesn’t anticipate that their outlook or performance will change much with the addition of the varsity team at BSU next year. In fact, a few girls are thinking of trying to walk on and some of the others are looking forward to it.

“We’ll still attract people who can’t afford all the time and effort or what it will do to your personal life to be on a varsity team,” Wolter said. “I hope that maybe the varsity team will mean more publicity that there is softball at BSU. People will know that if they don’t make the varsity team, the club is still an option. I wouldn’t mind taking some of their leftover players.”

MICHELLE MILLIKEN
Sports Writer

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