The dusty, smooth dirt contrasts the vibrant green patches of grass, where drops of dew carefully perch on the tips of the blades. Players carefully move to their respective positions in the field, waiting for the home team to pitch. The crisp, resonant sound of the ball makes contact with the bat; spectators watch with bated breath. The game has begun.
For the MN softball team, this year’s season marks another year rife with activity, passion, and perseverance.
The 2025 softball state championships were held on Oct. 15-17, with the final games held on Oct. 20. Although going into the championships as the No.1 seed, Millard North lost to Lincoln Southwest in the Class A championship. But the strength, achievements, and determination of the team during the entire season was still evident.
“Softball is a game where you do fail a lot, but we also talk about how instead of talking about failure, we talk about how it’s always a game of opportunity,” head coach Travis Unzicker said.
Unzicker is in his 6th year as head coach for MN softball and has helped lead the girls to state championships for the last five seasons.
Both on and off the field, the softball team’s emphasis on team culture is also something that has been highly prioritized amongst the players.
“We all come together because we love the game of softball but also come together because we have such good teammates, and the girls really make a positive environment,” outfielder Sarah Frazier said. “I’m just excited to be with my girls when we go out and play.”
The softball team’s emphasis on team bonding has played a crucial role in their success and cohesiveness as a group.
“We’re all so close, and we are basically like a huge family. We take our culture pretty seriously, and it’s important to everyone that we’re all close,” pitcher Jadyn Pokorny said. “I think being close off the field is a huge reason why we can perform so well; we’re all connected.”
The team also makes sure to maintain an honest environment, speaking frequently about their strengths and weaknesses.
“When there are issues, us girls will talk about it and say that we need to address the elephant in the room, and we’ll just sit and talk, and we’ll talk for a long time, or sometimes short, just so we can resolve the issue and be a better team together,” Frazier said.
Along with team dinners, talks, and outside activities, the team also incorporates “Mustang Mindsets,” frequent conversations the team has throughout the regular and off seasons to discuss softball.
“We go through things on how to be a better teammate; when you’re in pressured situations, knowing how you feel, how you respond, and how you are able to handle adversity and move on,” Travis Unzicker said.
Along with “Mustang Mindsets,” The team also assigns upperclassmen to mentorship roles in order to strengthen the bonds between teammates.
“It ensures that we are getting to know them, and they can ask us things, especially being experienced. It also helps from a school perspective, because we can tell them what classes we enjoyed, or teachers we enjoyed, or just give them help,” Pokorny said.
The fostering of the softball community ensures a space inclusive and opening to all members.
“We’re always together, and sometimes we split up into teams, like varsity, junior varsity, and reserve, but we still do so much bonding together that you kind of talk to everyone and get to know everyone,” catcher Regan Gillis said. “We are really good at making sure our team is close, and that even seniors and freshmen have good relationships.”
With the fast-paced nature of softball, the importance of maintaining a strong team culture aids in the efficiency of players.
“The game speeds you up, the game gives you anxiety,” Unzicker said. “There’s a lot of things in the game; you have to be able to calm yourself and nerves and be able to execute and produce in situations where others can’t.”
Looking towards next season — with familiar and fresh faces — a strong focus on sense of community, reflection, and responsibility will continue to be valued.
“Next year, we’ll have to make sure that freshman and sophomores know their role, know how to be a good teammate, and how they can use their strengths to provide for the team,” Gillis said.
Within the softball team, a motto commonly used by players and coaches is “Mudita,” a Sanskrit word that means to care for others and put them above yourself
Reflected in the longstanding close team culture, this saying is something that has been and will continue to be maintained in MN softball.
“In any situation we try to use it. We’ve really put that to the girls and told them that this is really kind of our battle cry for anything we do,” Unzicker said.