“I think the biggest change for freshmen is learning the correct balance between school and softball,” Olson says. “We have all been athletes and have all been students throughout our lives, but coming to Harvard and combining both at the highest level is a very unique situation. As upperclassmen, we just try to make them feel more comfortable and explain to them how Harvard works.”
While the balance of playing softball for Harvard can be demanding, Galindo already believes the experience is well worth her time.
“I couldn’t imagine a bigger transition than the change from high school softball to college softball,” Galindo says. “When you are playing for a college it is such a more powerful experience than when you are playing for a high school. Playing for Harvard and against such good competition makes everything so much more rewarding.”
Though it may be easy to focus on individual performances and statistics, the team stresses the importance of playing as a unit and succeeding as a group.
“The team is so close and so strong and it is just a really tight unit,” Galindo says. “Our coach always says, ‘Play for the name on the front, not the number on the back [of your jersey],’ and I feel like we really take that to heart.”
Allard’s focus has clearly had an impact on the mentality of her players. Galindo is quick to credit much of her success so far this season to the support of both the team’s upperclassmen and her freshmen classmates.
“The veterans on our team and the coaching staff have helped our freshman unit to grow and improve,” Galindo says. “From our practices to our long workouts in the weight room, they have been so supportive and have shown such faith in us from day one.”
Though conditioning drills and practices started over seven months ago in September, the Crimson’s season started March 1 in Boca Raton, Fla. For many freshmen, the extra practice in the fall was important in their transition to the college level.
“[By starting in September] we have all those months of practice before we start playing,” Olson explains. “The freshmen have really worked hard since day one of practice, and they are always giving a 100-percent effort in working to get better. That hard work in practice has propelled them to where they are now, and they all have made a lot of improvements.”
The offseason practice schedule was especially useful for Groom and Halula as adjusting from high school to college hitters is a tall task.
“I think the most apparent change is the quality of batters,” Groom agrees. “To make a smooth transition takes a lot of focus and determination to get better during the off-season, physically and mentally. Guidance from the upperclassmen has definitely made it a lot easier.”
As Harvard looks towards its Ivy League schedule that begins against Penn on March 29, the team hopes its tough non-conference competition has prepared the freshmen for conference play.
“The [non-conference schedule] really showed us what we can do against big competition,” Galindo says. “While we may have lost some games, our coach explained that she challenges us for a reason and that it will prepare us for our conference games. We have worked so hard throughout the fall and preseason, and I think we are putting things together and really becoming a force.”