It’s that time of year again and fall sports are in high gear. Fall sports include JV and varsity football, JV and varsity boys’ and girls’ soccer, girls’ JV and varsity volleyball and cheerleading. Though not school affiliated, a new sport has been added to that list: girls’ softball.

Girls’ fall season softball is also called fallball. The coach for this year’s fallball team is Mark Zimmerman, the LVHS spring softball coach. Practice for fallball is usually held on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6-8p.m. at the school’s softball field. This fallball league is considered to be a Junior Olympics version of softball; therefore, they play other teams in their conference. The team plays two games every Sunday. Because fallball is not school sponsored, the team is not permitted to use school uniforms.

Uniforms for the fall team were provided by Mr. Zimmerman.

The team plays other teams in their conference. Members of the team include seniors Lanell Craig, Jen Cramer and Kenzie Harbison, sophomores Erica Beitel, Megan McLaughlin and Jackie Tosh and freshmen Lauren Boczar, Alesha Jones, Kirsten Matson, Meghan Rhodes, Megan Seiler and Amanda Smith.

The team kicked off the season on Sunday, Sept. 11. They played their first game against Greensburg Central Catholic and the second against Greater Latrobe’s JV softball team. On Sept. 18, they played Gateway’s varsity and JV softball teams.

Even though fallball is played under more scrimmage-like conditions rather than as regulation games, coaches at times keep score. Mr. Zimmerman says the practice helps the team condition for spring softball in a fun way. “I’m really glad to see some of the younger girls here this year. This fall season is really going to help the younger girls get used to how we play, and also help all the girls to prepare for spring softball,” Mr. Zimmerman said.

The fallball season will end in November and the team hopes to walk away with experience so they can come into the spring season aiming high.