Q&A with players from the BNGSA Angels 04 travel softball team
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Three players on the BNGSA Angels 04 travel softball have been together since they began playing competitive softball together at age 10. Kaitlyn Egenes (senior at Normal Community High School), Madi Kessler (senior at Heyworth High School) and Elyssa Stenger (junior at Central Catholic High School) share the life lessons they have learned playing softball together from 10-under to their 18-under season this year.
What have you learned about staying with the same travel team your entire career?
Elyssa Stenger: I鈥檝e learned what it truly feels like to have a family relationship with my team. I have been able to create lifelong relationships with my teammates and coaches.
Madi Kessler: Continuing to play with the same travel team is like most relationships in life. When you鈥檙e with the same group of people for a while you learn what irritates them, what gets them pumped up and how they respond in different situations. This experience has helped me better understand and communicate with different people.
Kaitlyn Egenes: Being on the Angels has helped me become flexible with where I play on the field. Over the years, I have played several different positions. This helped going into high school, especially my freshman year. I went into the season thinking I would only play infield. The coaches put me in right field for one of our games, and it stuck the rest of the season. I was able to play that position because the Angels have taught me to be flexible and play wherever the team needs me most.
What is your most memorable experience on the field with the Angels?
Stenger: My most memorable moment on the field was winning nationals in 2019, being able to travel with my team and spending my summers with them.
Egenes: 2021 nationals in Peoria. Even though we fell short in the end, we had a very competitive and fun week.
Kessler: Winning USSSA Great Lakes Nationals in 2019. The tournament was a week long, and it was very hot on the turf. However, it was such a fun experience to win a national tournament together as a team.
What has softball you that you apply in everyday life?
Stenger: Learning to accept mistakes. Softball is a game of failure. Learning how to move on and learn from it is something I apply every day. Also, the leadership role from softball has helped me become a leader in high school sports, and coaching younger girls in the next generation of softball players.
Egenes: Softball has taught me so many things, but one big thing is teamwork. Softball is a team sport. You have to communicate, trust, respect and support your whole team.
Kessler: Softball has taught me so many valuable skills, including dedication and hard work, communication, working with others, how to lead, and the importance of giving back and helping others. Softball has given me more confidence to step into leadership roles. While I implement these skills on a daily basis, school is a good example of where they are used outside of softball. I work hard to maintain straight A鈥檚, lead group projects and serve as president of Student Council.
What are you most proud of about your softball career?
Stenger: I am proud to have been named first-team all-state and first-team all-conference my sophomore year.
Egenes: Deciding to continue to play in college. I will be attending Eastern Florida State College in the fall.
Kessler: I am most proud of the time I have spent helping the next group of softball players. Volunteering at tryouts, umpiring, helping at practices and acting as an assistant coach for the Angels 09 team has been rewarding. The sport of softball has been such a huge part of my life, it feels only right that I help younger players in their journey.
What is your most memorable experience with the Angels off the field?
Stenger: The friendships I鈥檝e made and my best friends that this team has given me through the years. Going to Oklahoma City to watch the Women鈥檚 College World Series with my teammates was another memorable experience.
Egenes: Hanging out with my team in Oklahoma. Although our games were rained out, it was fun to bond with my teammates. We got to watch several WCWS games, play cards and swim.
Kessler: Traveling to Oklahoma City to watch the Women鈥檚 College World Series. We got to watch great softball and spend a lot of time together in the hotel, playing cards and hanging out. I also enjoy the team dinners, shopping trips, coffee runs and card games that take place at away tournaments.
This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.