Santa Gertrudis Junior High has a budding softball program which recently went unbeaten in its first ever season in school history. The Lions went 3-0 this season having dismantled opponents Santa Rosa, Monte Alto and La Villa by a combined 41-0. SGJH capped of its first ever campaign by shutting out La Villa 15-0 back in mid May.

The team was scheduled to play more games but transportation problems prevented the Lions’ opponents from keeping their dates.

On this year’s team were pitchers Kristi Rangel and Celeste Castillo; Catcher Kimberly Ruiz; infielders Sierra Olvera, Victoria Miller, Miranda Salinas and Victoria Garza; and outfielders Emily Gonzales, Megan Gaytan, Brianna Barrera, Ana Gonzalez and Heather Lawson.

“The few girls that I had for this team did very well and were very committed,” Head Coach Thomas de los Santos said. “I am losing a handful of players who will be going to Academy High School next year and I expect them to do great things up there. They are going to be a big help to a program which is already well established.”

Starting a junior high softball program is a huge overall plus, De los Santos said.

“I think it is good especially for the girls who are not competing with traveling teams,” De los Santos said. “Obviously, to be successful in any sport you have to play it a lot. We have some girls who do play almost year round with traveling teams but we also have some very talented girls who do not play with them and our junior high program will help them become better prepared for high school.”

Academy will have another young team next season necessitating the Lions to bring in a few sixth grade players, De los Santos said, which is allowed by the University Interscholastic League when a junior high team has less than 12 players.

“Next year we are going to be young and we are probably going to field some sixth graders like we did this past season,” he said. “Our administration is also working on introducing the idea of starting junior high softball programs to some of the areas close by; Ricardo, Bishop, Driscoll and even Alice. Right now, there is no one else but us in this area and we have to travel into the valley where they have been playing junior high softball for several years. “

One of the most important things in preparing a young athlete is getting them out there during the early years.

“Just like my own kids, plenty of these girls play in the Brush Country League to get started and others have gone on to play with traveling teams in the area,” De los Santos said. “These organizations have done great in working with these girls and the main thing is that a lot of them started playing when they were young. You can have all of the athleticism in the world but you have to start playing when you are young.”