Spring Sports Preview: Lady Wolves swing into new season

The Green River Wolves Girls Softball team has officially started practices, and the girls are exhilarated for the beginning of their season. This is the third season of girls fast-pitch softball for the state of Wyoming. Last year, Green River was one of the eight teams that got to compete in the State Championships in Gillette. It was the first year they competed at State, but they unfortunately didn't win any games and were eliminated.

This year, the weather has impacted their practices and they have been practicing inside because of the conditions of the fields. It's been a tough winter in Wyoming, and with snow still on the ground the girls are unable to use the baseball fields for now. On Monday they were able to practice outside on the football field, which is turf, and it worked out well because their first game in Cheyenne is actually going to be on turf as well.

"I'm excited for the upcoming season," said Head Coach Blair Aimone. "We've got a lot of good freshmen that have a lot of potential, and the upperclassman have really been leading the way for us and helping with the structure of our program."

Coach Aimone believes it is very important for athletes to stay in the weight room during the off-season and participate in other sports. She believes softball requires tough athletes and the girls really need to be in good shape. Softball isn't just a physical sport, it is also mentally challenging and requires a lot of focus and determination. There are many skills that need to be learned and practiced in softball, like base running, fielding, throwing, catching and batting. Coach Aimone works the girls hard during practices to prepare them for the season. The more practices and games the girls get to participate in, the more the girls will continue to learn and grow as a team.

One of the biggest things Coach Aimone looks for in the girls, especially for high school prep, is improvement on a daily basis. She feels softball is a wonderful sport. It's given her a lot in her life and she is so glad that the girls in Wyoming now have that same opportunity as she did to play high school ball.

One of the Lady Wolves' goals for this year is to see that they have improved from the previous season and to continue getting better as the season progresses. Green River went from not winning a game the first season to competing in State the second season, so everyone is looking forward to seeing what the Lady Wolves can accomplish this year.

"Our goal is not only to make it to State, but actually be competitive and win some games at State," added Coach Aimone. "I think this team has the potential to do that."

Coach Aimone always appreciates the support of the community and everyone that comes to watch their games. She says if you haven't come out to watch them play, you should, because it's really fun.

The Lady Wolves will be traveling to Cheyenne for their first two-day tournament on Friday.

The first game the Lady Wolves will host will be at the Veterans Field on Friday, March 24, against Kelly Walsh. Make sure to come and support the ladies, catch some sun and a little bit of wind and cheer for Green River.