SOFTBALL 2004: Freshman Chemistry Forms Bonds

Chemistry has become a common, if not overused, catchphrase in sports. It’s an easy term to try to explain success. But for the six freshmen on the Harvard softball team, chemistry has become something much greater–a guiding principle that permeates both sports and social life.

Both on and off the diamond, this talented crop of first-year players sticks together, and has formed an extremely tight-knit group. If Harvard hopes to return to the top of the Ivy League this season, then it will rely heavily on the successful foundation the freshmen have begun to build—not only for on-field results, but to establish the cohesive atmosphere that breeds winning.

“We’re all really close,” second-basemen/outfielder Julia Kidder says, voicing the overriding sentiment of the group of players. “We’re always together.”

“Or causing trouble,” third-basemen Virginia Fritsche is quick to add.

The entire sextet—which also includes shortstop/outfielder Lauren Brown, outfielder Susie Winkeller, pitcher Becky Voaklander, and catcher Sarah Shaughnessy—have become fast friends, enjoying TV nights, eating together, and hanging out on the weekends. The group’s bond is even strong enough to ensure extension beyond the realm of softball—four of the freshmen are blocking together for next year’s housing lottery.

“I feel like we have a lot of chemistry, we’re very tight,” Voaklander says. “Not that the other classes aren’t, but there are more of us, and we’re always hanging out.”

The enthusiasm and friendship of the freshmen has been infectious, and has helped integrate the group—with its six members, the largest in any class on this year’s team—into the circle of upperclassmen players.

That integration is not always an easy task in the stratified world of college sports, but the arduous preseason preparation—including fall ball, where the freshmen first started bonding—have melded the team into a highly compatible social and athletic unit.

“I think the fact that we get along so well attracts [the upperclassmen] to us...they want to be part of how much fun we’re having together,” Voaklander says.

Besides their unusual camaraderie, what has drawn the attention of the team’s head coach, Jenny Allard, has been the light-hearted nature of the freshmen.

“What struck me with them is that they’re just funny,” Allard says. “They really enjoy each other, and really have a good time.”

Introducing the element of humor to this year’s edition of the Crimson has helped to erase the bad taste of last year’s disappointing fourth place finish in the Ivy League, and lighten the serious demeanor of the team’s veterans.

“[The freshmen] don’t take themselves too seriously,” Allard says. “That’s helped the team bounce back from a tough season last year. In athletics, people can take themselves too seriously, and you need to be able to let go of that. If you’re too tense, and you’re too serious, and you’re too tight, that’s going to affect your performance.”

If it’s one thing this year’s group of freshmen is not, it’s tense. Coming in after a bad season, and as a highly-regarded batch of young talent, the freshman might have felt burdened by high performance demands. But their ebullient nature and breadth of experience has prevented the stress from affecting them.

“There’s no pressure,” Shaughnessy says. “If we were a smaller group of freshmen, there would have been more emphasis on contributing right away. But with this many new members, it’s inevitable that the chemistry of the team will change.”

The positive group chemistry that the freshmen have brought to the team has also helped keep them from being fazed by the large leap from high school to college softball.

“We all wanted something more intense than high school, so we were ready for this [next step],” Kidder says.

Undoubtedly ready for the advanced competition, the group has contributed almost immediately—and not just to the improvement of team chemistry.

The freshmen may be funny, good-natured and friendly, but don’t be fooled by their effervescent personalities. When they step between the foul lines, these women mean business.

“This class is really competitive,” Allard says. “They work really hard, and I’ve seen all of them make huge strides.”

Fritsche and Voaklander have been particularly impressive early on, stepping up to fill vacancies at third base and the back of the pitching rotation, respectively, that were left by injury and graduation.

Fritsche, whose powerful bat has been immediately inserted into the third spot in the batting order, got off to a hot start, leading the Crimson in hitting at .455 through Harvard’s first four games.

Voaklander got her first start of the year on the mound on March 14th, and picked up her first victory in an 11-2 decision against Liberty, giving up two runs over five innings.

The other freshmen are primed to make contributions off of the bench. This year’s team is unusually deep, partly due to the large number of first-years. At most positions on the diamond, Harvard has more than one candidate worthy of starting, often leaving the newcomers as backups.

“I think it’s hard this year to come in as a freshman and start,” Allard says. “But it’s not hard to come in and have an impact.”

Even those not getting to start yet are finding ways to contribute positively to team chemistry and morale.

“The freshmen try really hard,” senior shortstop Rachel Goldberg says. “They definitely push everyone else to do better.”

Whether it’s from the field or the bench, the freshmen have welcomed the opportunity to provide energy and exemplify hard work this spring.

The freshmen will need to continue to provide that energy and emotion in the service of team chemistry to help maintain the momentum required in this year’s demanding Ivy League competition. But will the long, grueling season catch up to the youngsters towards the end of April, when the team will need their energy the most?

The players could only laugh at that thought.

“Talk to us at the end of the year,” Fritsche says, speaking for her teammates.

There’s that “us” word again, the key to the chemistry of this inseparable group, whose story is just beginning.