With a wave of departures from last year’s varsity roster, the DVHS softball team was at risk of potentially not fielding a team this year. However, an influx of new players helped fill in to create a team that could participate in local high school games for 2026.
Freshman Sophia Chen, one of the newcomers onto the team, helped fill the gaps and potentially build a strong program at Dougherty.
“There was some uncertainty about having a team this year,” Chen explained. “But a lot of new freshmen came though and decided to join so it worked out. I’m really glad there’s an opportunity for people to try softball that maybe they wouldn’t have had if there was a full team already.”
In an East Bay athletic league dominated with multiple high performing teams, DVHS softball held a roster that consisted mainly of underclassmen. Chen noted however that since the team is young, they have the opportunity to grow and improve upon their performance.
“Since we are a young program, there definitely is a learning curve and a downside to having less upperclassmen,” Chen said. “But it’s okay, and they are all really patient and help people who don’t know as much.”
Obstacles can frustrate a team throughout the season, but Chen notes that the DVHS softball team has learned how to compete and communicate more effectively throughout the course of the season.
“Some things we want to improve on are resetting after an error and picking each other up,” Chen said.
But overall, Chen emphasized the importance of teamwork and direction within the DVHS softball program. With a core made up of underclassmen and patience from the upperclassmen, DVHS softball aims to be competitive in the current and forthcoming years.
“Our captains and upperclassmen have been really encouraging and patient with all the freshmen too.”
