Softball sisters aim to improve while playing for the same team

This year, sisters Christina and Michelle Hart joined the JV softball team. They are two years apart in age, but it is the first season of Central softball for each of them. Christina (16) played baseball for nine years before moving to softball this past year. Michelle (14) had played softball for six years, and prior to that she played baseball for three years. The sisters enjoy playing together on the team, “Playing with my sister makes me feel a lot more comfortable. Because this was something new for me, this helped me get used to playing high school softball,” Christina said.  

Because of their biological and athletic bond, the two girls have often been referred to as the “Hart Foundation” by Coach Kreber. The sisters cultivate the talents of one another and help each other to become better players in the field and at home. During off season, Christina and Michelle play baseball and softball for Benson teams and also go to the batting cages often throughout the year to improve their hitting. “There is always someone around to practice will. I practice a lot with my dad and siblings because everyone plays softball or baseball,” Michele said.  

Christina moves around the infield, playing short stop, second base, and catcher. In the team’s first tournament on Friday, August 31, Christina and the team’s center fielder were both running to catch an inbetweener that dropped a few yards past second base. As she was running to catch the ball, Christina sustained a knee injury that has the potential to put her out for the rest of the season. “I felt a pain that I had never felt before. It felt like I had broken something. I was scared to know what would happen next because I knew that it would be bad,” Christina said.  

Some siblings may think of playing a sport with their older sibling as a negative thing. Michelle enjoys playing softball with Christina because they help each other fix mistakes and better themselves as players and teammates. Michelle plays both infield and outfield, learning new positions with the help of her coaches and family. Currently, she has been having more fun playing in the outfield because, “there’s a lot more to be done there than what it seems.” As a younger sister, Michele sees her older sister as a role model, but does not express any lower expectations for herself in comparison to Christina. “I never feel like I am any less than Christina just because I am the younger sister,” says Michelle. “I am actually glad that I have someone older to show me how to do everything.” 

The Hart sisters want to continue playing softball throughout their high school careers and Christina specifically stated that she hopes to play college ball. The pair has individual goals for the season and for softball in general. Michelle would like to advance in bunting and baserunning and she is practicing to better her technique- offensively and defensively. Christina wants to become a more powerful hitter and to learn to use her strength to really drive the ball. She also wants to have a maximum of five strikeouts and to get on base at least once each game. Together, the sisters work to progress individually and as a team. “I am motivated to continue playing softball because my family supports me,” Michelle said, “because my family tells me I can become better, I believe them.”