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Varsity Softball’s Season Is Canceled
Three-sport athlete Julia Plousis is “very disappointed” she won’t be able to play Varsity Softball her senior year.
By Daniel O’Malley
Sports Editor
For the first time in over a decade, Woodlynde will not have a Varsity Softball team this spring. There were only three students interested, according to Director of Athletics Mr. Purdy, which is nowhere near the nine needed to field a team.
“I’m very disappointed the season was cancelled,” senior Julia Plousis said. “I was a three-sport athlete all of high school, and I wanted to finish being a three-sport athlete.”
“I was looking forward to the season,” Julia added. “I thought other girls who played other sports would join. I was also looking forward to the teacher/student softball game.” She mentioned that she will miss how “[Head Coach] Smith made us laugh. I also liked how we all communicated. We still practiced hard, even when there were few girls.”
According to Coach Hoynak, “We barelyhad nine players last year,” which is the minimum required to field a team.
Coach Hoynak talked about how she was upset the season was cancelled. “I’m disappointed. I had a lot of fun coaching.”
Mr. Purdy said that the reason for a decline in players was that “we had a couple of kids graduate last year. We are also a small school, and have a 3:1 boysgirls ratio.”
Coach Hoynak suggested that another reason for the decline in players is that softball is a spring sport. “The extra -curricular requirement is already filled, so they don’t have to do it.”
She mentioned that a possibility for the decline in players was the Girls’ Lacrosse team, which also plays in the spring. “It thins out both teams.”
When asked if the school can support two all-girls teams in a season, Mr. Purdy said it depends. “We have Volleyball and Tennis both going on during the fall, but neither of those sports require many players.”
The school has been able to field multiple all-girl teams in the past, including three in one season at one point: Soccer, Tennis and Volleyball.
“We had an all-girls soccer [team] at one point, but it went away because of low numbers,” Mr. Purdy said. “We also had Field Hockey. Girls’ Soccer replaced Field Hockey, but nothing took the place of Girls’ Soccer.”
When asked how he feels about the Softball season being cancelled, Mr. Purdy said, “I’m always disappointed when a program doesn’t come together.”
Mr. Purdy said there is a chance of a team being formed in the future. “There is always a likelihood, but we need kids to be interested.”
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Sports Editor
For the first time in over a decade, Woodlynde will not have a Varsity Softball team this spring. There were only three students interested, according to Director of Athletics Mr. Purdy, which is nowhere near the nine needed to field a team.
“I’m very disappointed the season was cancelled,” senior Julia Plousis said. “I was a three-sport athlete all of high school, and I wanted to finish being a three-sport athlete.”
“I was looking forward to the season,” Julia added. “I thought other girls who played other sports would join. I was also looking forward to the teacher/student softball game.” She mentioned that she will miss how “[Head Coach] Smith made us laugh. I also liked how we all communicated. We still practiced hard, even when there were few girls.”
According to Coach Hoynak, “We barelyhad nine players last year,” which is the minimum required to field a team.
Coach Hoynak talked about how she was upset the season was cancelled. “I’m disappointed. I had a lot of fun coaching.”
Mr. Purdy said that the reason for a decline in players was that “we had a couple of kids graduate last year. We are also a small school, and have a 3:1 boysgirls ratio.”
Coach Hoynak suggested that another reason for the decline in players is that softball is a spring sport. “The extra -curricular requirement is already filled, so they don’t have to do it.”
She mentioned that a possibility for the decline in players was the Girls’ Lacrosse team, which also plays in the spring. “It thins out both teams.”
When asked if the school can support two all-girls teams in a season, Mr. Purdy said it depends. “We have Volleyball and Tennis both going on during the fall, but neither of those sports require many players.”
The school has been able to field multiple all-girl teams in the past, including three in one season at one point: Soccer, Tennis and Volleyball.
“We had an all-girls soccer [team] at one point, but it went away because of low numbers,” Mr. Purdy said. “We also had Field Hockey. Girls’ Soccer replaced Field Hockey, but nothing took the place of Girls’ Soccer.”
When asked how he feels about the Softball season being cancelled, Mr. Purdy said, “I’m always disappointed when a program doesn’t come together.”
Mr. Purdy said there is a chance of a team being formed in the future. “There is always a likelihood, but we need kids to be interested.”
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Woodlynde School is a private, co-ed college prep day school located in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that serves intelligent, talented students with learning differences in grades K - 12. Woodlynde provides a comprehensive, evidence-based Kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school program in a challenging yet nurturing environment for students with average to above average cognitive abilities (IQ) who have language- or math-based learning differences (such as Dyslexia, Dysgraphia or Dyscalculia), Executive Function Challenges, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or Auditory Processing Disorder. Even for those students without a diagnosed learning disability (LD), Woodlynde offers expert and caring teachers in small classroom settings that support academic success. Woodlynde School also offers a post-graduate (PG) program in partnership with Rosemont College as well as a regional Summer Camp for students who learn differently.
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