Ocean View softball prepares for new season
SUNSET BEACH, Calif. — Teams can help build connections, communities, and a support system. I built mine 12 years ago when I decided to play softball. Now, I am starting my first year on varsity as a lady Seahawk!
In 2021, Ocean View High School鈥檚 Varsity Softball team won the CIF Southern Section Division 5 Championship, but the season came with many hardships. It was the first year back since the pandemic, and the head coach had resigned during the season. This put the players鈥� patience and passion for the game in question. Nevertheless, 3rd-year Varsity returner Sienna Erskine recalls their CIF win as her fondest memory. 鈥淚 remember that year as being pretty difficult,鈥� she confides, 鈥淏ut we stuck through it, persisted, and had a lot of hard work that led to huge success.鈥�
With our 2023 season brewing, I interviewed OVHS鈥檚 new head coach, Keala Cordeiro (aka Coach Kay) to discuss her expectations for the months ahead. 鈥淚 am just looking to have a winning season,鈥� she began, 鈥渁nd I want the girls to be able to come together as a team.鈥�
Coach Kay stresses showing respect and especially values it 鈥渢eammate-to-teammate.鈥� OVHS senior and Pacific University commit Kaitlyn Knobbe also loves teamwork. 鈥淚 want our team to work together,鈥� she maintains, 鈥渁nd play every game like it is our last.鈥�
Coach Kay began her softball career as a six-year-old and during her senior year of high school, committed to play two years of softball at Gulf Coast State College in Florida. Subsequently, she received an offer to play Division I softball at Connecticut’s Quinnipiac University. During her coaching career, Kay has served at both the high school and college levels.
Coach Kay envelopes a hard-working culture for the OVHS program. She says, 鈥淎s long as you are showing up and making an effort, we can have a successful season.鈥� Amongst those hard workers expected to demonstrate that ethic are juniors Sienna Erskine and Ashley Capelouto. Erskine holds her own at 2nd base, and in her coach鈥檚 words, 鈥渋s one of the top players I have seen recently and is an incredibly hard worker.鈥� Coach Kay describes Capelouto as 鈥渁 very well-rounded athlete, with an exceptionally strong arm.鈥�
It truly is a pleasure to be able to write about my team. I have created so many incredible memories these past two years, both on the pitching mound inside the chalk lines, and outside in Ocean View鈥檚 argyle鈥檇 dugouts.
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