The Minnewaska softball team had eight seniors expected to be on the team this spring season.

Michele Stai, Sara Geiser, Grace Bartels, Sarah Juetten, Elizabeth Murken, Isabelle Green, Alyssa Klassen and Adriana Vigil were part of a team hoping to build on a 10-11 record from 2019.

With the season being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Echo Press reached out to each of the Minnewaska seniors as a way to recognize them. This story centers around four questions for the players who responded: Why do they play softball? What do they miss most about it this spring? What is a favorite memory from competing? What are their future plans after high school, and do they plan on competing again?

Sara Geiser

Why she plays: I play softball because I love the game, and it is fun making new friends and being a part of a team.

What she misses most: The things I miss most about softball is the feeling of excitement before a game and playing on the field with my teammates. I also miss seeing my teammates and coaches every day and the memories we could have made this spring.

Favorite memory: My favorite memory of playing softball over the years would have to be when we won against (Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City) last year during playoffs and went on to play down in Marshall.

Future plans: My future plans include attending St. Cloud Tech next fall. I plan on playing volleyball, and I might play softball. After my two years at St. Cloud Tech, I plan on transferring to get a bachelor's degree in elementary education to become a teacher and a coach.

Alyssa Klassen

Why she plays: I play softball for the excitement of the sport and the friendships it brings with it.

What she misses most: I miss the games and everything about them.

Favorite memory: My favorite memories are winning close games that came down to the last batter.

Future plans: I will be attending South Dakota State University for a degree in animal science. I hope to be able to play softball recreationally as a part of a club team.

Michele Stai

Why she plays: I was in softball because it is a great way to work out while having fun and making new friends. Also, there is always something you can improve on by putting in time.

What she misses most: I miss playing the sport with all of my friends. We would make so many memories during softball, and now that is over.

Favorite memory: My favorite memory is when I was catching and the batter ticked the ball. The ball continued to miss my glove and smacked me in the face. I fell back into the umpire and my entire team, including me, was dying of laughter.

Future plans: I am planning on attending Southwest Minnesota State University to major in exercise science and minor in biology. After those four years, I will become a physical therapist. As for softball, I will continue to play intramural ball at SMSU.

Elizabeth Murken

Why she plays: One of the many reasons I chose to play softball was because I enjoy being a part of a team sport. I enjoy the level of competition this sport brings.

What she misses most: The thing I miss the most is not being able to hang out with my friends and to see how successful we were going to be this year.

Favorite memory: My favorite memory was at section playoffs last year when I made a diving catch in center field and completed a double play.

Future plans: I plan on attending Minnesota State University-Moorhead for a double major in criminal justice and psychology. With future plans of either forensic psychology or becoming a behavioral analysis for the FBI. I will not be playing the game in college. I decided to focus on classes in college.