It’s now or never for the Evanston girls softball team. With nine returning players and a senior-heavy roster, the Kits are poised for a pivotal season.

Although the team improved their record in 2023, finishing 9-18-1, the 2024 season was lackluster. However, the Kits’ team dynamic remains strong, and they are determined to push themselves to the limit this year.

“I think it’d be really fun if we win Conference. We have a lot of good competition in our area, so it’s always a challenge,” said senior Delilah Liston. “It’s always about pushing ourselves to do better than the year before.” 

Head Coach Amy Gonzales is excited about the upcoming season, especially with such an experienced team. Having veteran players who can mentor younger teammates and demonstrate strong leadership eases some of the pressure of coaching.

“Of the nine returning players, eight are seniors and one is a junior. With veteran players returning, it allows you as a coach to let those players lead more since they have the experience, which is great for their teammates and the program,” said Gonzales.

This season, Catcher Delilah Liston is emerging as a team leader. After hitting nine home runs in 2023, she aims to improve her hitting and defense to give the Kits the best chance to win.

“I’d like to work on a lot of things as always, but a few are keeping my hitting consistent and making sure to improve my catching as well, with blocking and throwing runners out,” Liston remarked.

Gonzalez believes practices will be especially crucial this year.

“We cover drills in practice where we see what is needed for the team as a whole and for individuals when we can. We look at what we have done in previous games and see how we can work on these things in the following practices,” said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez also wants the team to work with one of the athletic department’s new mental health interns to keep their mental game strong.

The team kicks off its season against Lockport on Monday, March 24.