Although she’s already played on the basketball and volleyball courts, freshman Emma Denton is finishing her first year of high school strong, playing her long-standing favorite sport, softball.
Growing up in a baseball-loving family, she naturally started playing in little league as soon as she could hold a bat.
“My dad is the varsity baseball coach, and I have two older siblings that both played softball and baseball, so it’s a [tradition] that’s been in our family,” Denton said.
Denton has found her most cherished relationships through softball. In addition to strengthening bonds with her family, Denton met sophomore teammate Abby Barnes before starting Little League with her, and they’ve been inseparable since.
“[My family was] really good friends with her parents, and my brother played baseball with her brother. When we could start playing softball, we started,” Barnes said. “I think sports definitely helped us become friends, but we share a lot of the same interests.”
Those shared interests lead to mutual admiration between the two, and Barnes loves seeing what Denton brings to the plate.
“She’s just a really good person, and she’s really smart. She focuses a lot on athletics and academics,” Barnes said. “She will definitely be somebody that makes everybody laugh.”
Denton credits most of her personality to her family and parents, knowing they’ve been an important part of her life.
“[My family has] definitely encouraged me to keep playing and have fun with it, most importantly,” Denton said. “I’m pretty competitive, so when I mess up I’m really hard on myself, but they’re always there to help me.”
Denton’s need for success causes her to be tough on herself. Even her coaches recognize her competitive mentality.
“[My coaches always tell me] ‘don’t be so hard on yourself,’” Denton said. “It comes from not performing how I want to perform, and making dumb mistakes I shouldn’t be making. It’s annoying because I can be better than that.”
Head varsity softball coach Larry Fehrle has known Denton for years, from working with her father and coaching her older sister. He knows from experience that she’ll overcome any obstacles with time.
“I think [her] growth will come with confidence, and I think she’ll gain that once she has some success,” Fehrle said. “She might struggle early as most freshmen do, but as she gets more comfortable, she’s going to be a really nice player.”
Denton is already learning. Right now, she’s trying a new strategy to stop ruminating on her past mistakes.
“I try to keep the mentality of there’s another [chance] coming,” Denton said. “I can [always] fix it with the next ball. Just let it go and keep going.”
That type of attitude is what Fehrle looks for in an athlete. He’s excited to see her play this year and knows she has a lot of options as a player on the field.
“[Denton’s] got a nice bat. She’s played multiple positions in the infield, and she’s our emergency pitcher, which I’m sure she would love to hear,” Fehrle said. “She’s very versatile.”
Not only is Fehrle delighted by Denton’s adaptability, but he’s astounded by her character on and off the field.
“She’s a hard worker, one of the nicest kids [I coach] and she’s very polite,” Fehrle said. “She shakes my hand after every practice and thanks me, which floors me, but that’s the kind of kid she is.”
Being friends with Denton for years, Barnes knows the attributes Denton will bring to the team. She’s excited to see how the returning team and the incoming players will work together to play their best this season.
“I think our team will definitely be a lot better than we were last year,” Barnes said. “We were experienced, but I think it will be a lot better.”
Fehrle shares Barnes’s optimism about the team. He knows that although they’re a little short on athletes, his player’s dedication will more than make up for it.
“This year, unfortunately, we only have one team because we didn’t have enough players. I was hoping to have two and because of that, some of the freshmen are certainly going to be helping us,” Fehrle said. “They’re going to help us become a better team and they’re all working hard.”
