Tracy High School’s softball program officially kicks off their season and can’t wait to see what they accomplish in the 2024 season. The program is headed by Paulette Keeney and made up of three levels, freshman/sophomore, junior varsity and varsity.
Courtney Dyrda coaches the freshman/sophomore team and Jay Aguilar coaches junior varsity. Lastly, varsity is coached by Keeney, Haley Boyd and Madison Sanders. Keeney will be introduced into the Tracy California Sports Hall of Fame for 2024.
Varsity has played four games and been able to kick the season off with an amazing 4-0 record so far. The team has a young majority, being only three seniors and six underclassmen.
“The thing about a young team is that they are hungry, they know they must work hard to earn a spot, but the level of respect they have for the coaching staff plays a key role in winning ball games,” Keeney said. “We are going to have them for the next three years and that’s going to continue the level of respect.”
“There is a lot of learning on how to play with each other but two to three years from now when they are in their second or third year playing together, it is going to be so cohesive like any travel ball team who grew up playing together, we won’t even have to say anything, the girls will know how to run it themselves,” Boyd contributes.
Being a young team, it makes the future of the program very bright. In two to three years these girls will be veterans leading the girls beneath them to more victories.
In 2018, Keeney lead the Varsity program to a SIS Divion 1 Championship, which Sanders was also a part of. Hoping to lead another team to another victory, this year might be the year. Many players play competitively outside of high school, this young team has much potential this year and for the years to follow.
Maggie Goodfellow, senior pitcher, has played softball all four years of her high school career. This program has supported her all the way and has allowed her to make so many amazing memories and friendships, some that will last a lifetime.
“My experience has been amazing, the girls are absolutely fantastic, even if we have a bad loss or you have a couple of bad days back-to-back, no matter what, someone is there to pick you right back up,” Goodfellow shared.
