After not having a C-team in 2025, the decision to keep more players for the 2026 season came with challenges. Although having three teams can reduce cuts, many other schools lack the necessary players for three teams, which has led to scheduling conflicts as the C-team tries to add more games.
The Varsity softball team had 21 scheduled games compared to eight games afforded to C-team. C-team coach Elijah Randall said having fewer games affects their season, as his players don’t have the same opportunities to grow.
“Game experience is one of the most valuable ways for players to develop,” Randall said. “The more games you play, the more opportunities athletes have to grow, make adjustments and build confidence. While we work hard in practice, it’s difficult to fully replicate the intensity and atmosphere of a real game.”
Randall said that the main cause of this issue is the other schools’ lack of participation in the Sunflower League. He said that having fewer players limits the number of other teams that can compete.
“One of the main reasons it was more difficult to schedule games this year is that many teams in our league have lower participation numbers,” Randall said. “With fewer players signing up across programs, it naturally limits the number of teams available to compete.”
The team still practices regularly, even with the reduced competition. Randall said his focus remains on developing his players so they’re ready when opportunities arise.
Former member of the team, freshman Ava Mann, said that the program shouldn’t have had a C-team, as moving players up to junior varsity would have made them feel more included.
“Not making a C-Team if you don’t have the means to do so would have been the right choice. Putting eight girls on a team, making them practice a month before having a game is absurd,” Mann said. “If we could move these players up to JV for some practices and games, then the players would be so much more included.”
C-team player and freshman Stella Kulseth said that although it makes some of her teammates upset, having fewer games pushes you to make a better team so that you can be rewarded with more games.
“Having fewer games just pushes you to be a better player, so that way you can advance up to JV or Varsity and reward yourself with more games,” Kulseth said. “Having fewer games makes some of my teammates mad, but I think, as I said before, it pushes you to be a better player and teammate to be able to play more.”
