Softball has never been just a game for Emma DeGeorge. As a senior captain, she feels that the special bond between her and her teammates has made this team feel more like a home than a hobby.

DeGeorge’s pregame ritual is something between calm and chaos. She likes to steady her nerves by sleeping on the bus before games, but once the wheels stop, she throws on her headphones, and she listens to the same songs in the same order to hype herself up.

As DeGeorge’s final season has finally begun, she feels that her goal as a captain is to make everyone feel seen and included. 

“I’ve had a lot of experience playing. I’ve been a varsity starter since freshman year, and I know what the expectations are. I’m more of a leader by example, and I try to create a bond with everyone or at least try to make them feel welcome,” said DeGeorge.

When DeGeorge was an underclassman, she looked up to her teammate Ella VanAlstyne for comfort and support.

“She believed in me when it felt like everyone else didn’t, and that motivated me not to let my head get in the way of my talent,” said DeGeorge.

If DeGeorge could talk to her younger self in the beginning of her freshman season, she would say, “Give it your all because you have nothing to lose.”

For DeGeorge, her favorite memory from all of her years playing softball isn’t a big win for her team; it’s something  most people wouldn’t have said.

“My favorite high school softball memory is making it to the championship for the third consecutive season. It was a rare thing. Although we ended up losing, I had one of the best games of that season and one of the greatest catches of my career,” said DeGeorge.

“The legacy of Woodland softball is truly about, of course, our winning culture, but mostly being there for each other,” said DeGeorge.

DeGeorge hopes that she leaves a long-lasting impact that ensures her team feels as connected as they were during her time there.

When asked to sum up her last season in just three words, it would be driven, disheartening, and growth.