ITEM PHOTOS BY KATIE MORRISON
Alex Almquist, left, and Catie Sheehan are leading a very young Saugus softball team.
By KATIE MORRISON
The Saugus softball team is rebuilding this season. The Sachems graduated eight seniors from last year’s squad, the first to make the state tournament in five years. That leaves the lineup with a very different look this year, but there are a couple of mainstays who have blossomed into the veteran leaders on this otherwise inexperienced team.
The Sachems have just three seniors: third baseman Catie Sheehan, second baseman Alex Almquist and Katie Italiano, who comes off the bench. Sheehan and Almquist have both been playing varsity softball since they were freshmen, making them, by far, the most veteran players on the squad.
And for second-year coach Steve Almquist, having them is invaluable.
“They’re both like a coach’s dream. The only thing is that I wish they weren’t seniors…I wish I had a few more years with both of them,” the coach said. “They’ve helped set the foundation for this program, and it’s like having a couple more coaches with them out there.”
The pair share some similarities; they, along with Italiano, are field hockey players in the fall. They’re the only returners in an infield that has a new shortstop, first baseman, pitcher and catcher. They both saw varsity action early in their careers and were close with last year’s senior group.
But when it comes to leadership, they have different styles. Sheehan is more vocal on and off the field, while Alex Almquist prefers to stay out of the spotlight and act as a quiet leader, always setting an example.
Both are model students, and Steve Almquist says neither has ever given him any trouble or a reason to doubt their status as captains.
“They both lead by example, and you only have to tell them something once,” Steve Almquist said. “The younger kids look up to them. I wish I had 12 more kids like them. They make the job a heck of a lot easier.”
Sheehan is in her fourth season as a starter at third base for Saugus, and says part of the job of being a captain is keeping everyone upbeat and positive.
“Last year, (Alex and I) didn’t have as much of a role keeping everyone else up,” Sheehan said, “but this year, the main focus is to stay up, even if we lose. We want to keep everyone playing as a team.”
Steve Almquist says she’s a calming presence in the infield.
“She’s the one others look to when things aren’t going well,” he said. “Her presence helps keep things under control.”
Sheehan says that she’s come a long way since her freshman year.
“I remember as a freshman, on the first day of tryouts, being so scared seeing all the upperclassmen,” Sheehan said. “I’ve progressively gotten better as a player solely because (former Saugus coach) Jess (Lucier) and Steve helped along the way to make sure we do everything the right way.”
On the other side of the diamond is Alex Almquist. She took over the second base job her freshman year when the starter was injured, and has taken steps forward each year. She finished last year as Saugus’ top hitter, boasting a .483 average. Second to her was Sheehan, who hit .472 with seven home runs.
Steve Almquist says that Alex Almquist is more reserved, but is his most consistent player.
“She goes about her job and does it extremely well,” Steve Almquist said.
Alex Almquist is adjusting to the new look of the team this year, and understands her role.
“We have a lot of new young people this year, and we’re trying to teach them their roles and how to play as a team,” Alex Almquist said. “Last year, I was one of the youngest, and everyone was teaching me. Now I’m on the other side.”
Thinking about the end of any season is bittersweet, but it will be especially tough for Steve Almquist this year, after coaching his daughter, Alex, since she was seven or eight years old.
“It’s emotional. It’s sad,” Steve Almquist said. “It’s not easy for her, having her dad as a coach, but she’s never given me a single problem.”
Alex Almquist agreed, but also expressed appreciation for her dad pushing her all these years.
“He has always been my coach, so last year, I knew what to expect,” Alex Almquist said. “He puts more pressure on me as a player, and knows how to push me because he knows what i’m capable of.”
While the last season for the seniors together is bittersweet, Steve Almquist urges them to appreciate the little things, like bus rides together.
“Winning is great, but that’s the kind of stuff you’ll remember,” he said.
That message seems to have gotten through to the seniors.
“I’ll miss the community aspect, how close we are with each other on and field,” Alex Almquist said of her time as a Sachem.
“I’ll miss the bus rides the most, it’s weird to say, but we’re all so excited, everyone is being funny, listening to music and having fun,” Sheehan said. “I’ll miss my coaches and friends the most because they all helped me along my journey to get to where I am now.”
That being said, the season is far from over; it’s just beginning. The Sachems are 2-2 on the young season, and look like they’re able to hang with any team in the Northeastern Conference. The plan now is to play as many games as possible, especially after getting a taste of the tournament last year.
“We all want to win more than anything, now that we know we can,” Sheehan said.
