Head softball coach reflects on cancelled season

Softball, one of Laurel’s favorite spring sports, has been cancelled with the rest of spring activities in Montana as of last Wednesday. Head coach for the high school softball team, Aleesa Olsen, was quick to respond with a letter to her team and the community. Olsen offers some reflective closure after their season got cancelled with only having practiced for one week, and also promises a strong comeback next season with many returning players. The two seniors on the team, Madison Cooney and Deyshia Goodwin, were looking forward to their final high school seasons, but get especially recognized upon having to say an unexpected goodbye to their team.

Laurel High

School Softball 2020

We had high hopes for another great season. We were returning with a strong team from last year and added a few new freshmen, who were working hard every day to get better and make an impact on the team.

We had great leadership coming from our two seniors, Madison Cooney and Deyshia Goodwin. They were constantly bringing the girls together and keeping positive attitudes through the practices that we were able to have. Being seniors they were looking forward to their final season in purple and gold and the chance to leave everything out on the dirt.

Madison Cooney has an infectious attitude that makes everyone around her light up and smile. She backs that positive attitude with the ability to push herself and work hard until she has mastered what she is working on.

Deyshia Goodwin has a never-give-up push-throughanything attitude that she shares with her teammates while on the field. She works hard and never stops asking for help and pushing those around her to be better.

Fortunately for us, we are a young team with very high work ethics and determination. We know that the girls will come back next year with an even stronger drive to get better every day and to succeed on and off the field. To those underclassmen coming back next year- be ready, we have more to do and more to prove. We are proud of the work you all put into the season and cannot wait for next season.

This season may have not come to the ending we were all hoping, but we will be stronger from it. This season has shown us how valuable the time we have is, that no time spent on the field should be taken for granted, that no rep should be left on a mistake, and that no second spent together should be taken as nothing short of a gift. We may have only gotten a week of practice, but we made sure to make all 518,400 seconds count.

— Aleesa Olsen

High school head

softball coach