Ram Write-Up - Maple Valley Community Schools

Softball girls
prepare for
upcoming
season
Junior Laura Hoaglund practices
catching at an early softball
practice.
By Steffany Treiber
With spring approaching, and softball
practice just around the corner, softball pitchers
and catchers have been working hard to
prepare for the new season, along with girls
willing to attend hitting practice.
With a new coach this year, the Rams softball
team should look like an entirely new
team. Head Coach Tim Hupke is looking forward
to turning around the program this year
and has been spending much of his time
working with the players as much as possible.
Coach Hupke has been working with the
pitchers and catchers. Assistant Coach Bob
Hamers started hitting practice Tuesday,
March 13th. It is being held in the track shed
at the ballfield complex. Girls can attend
three nights a week and work on their swing.
At the hitting practice, the girls work on
their hitting technique during the first half.
Then towards the end, they hit off the pitching
machine. A new pitching machine was
desperately needed. It is rather nice and will
contribute to the girls’ performance by throwing
out different pitches and speeds. New
bats and equipment to help the players’
swing were also purchased.
Hopefully the Rams can improve their performance
this season since they have been
hard at work during the off-season.
Page 8, The Ram Write-Up, Maple Valley Anthon- Oto Schools
Pictured above are the players that received all
conference honors: James Brouillette (honorable
mention), Austin Bettin (second team), Travis Brown
(first team), Tabby Allen (second team), and Erin
Vermeersch (honorable mention).
Volleyball girls work
out during offseason
By Steffany Treiber
Some people think that since volleyball
ended the season is over, but that isn’t true
for most of the volleyball players.
AAU Volleyball is a non-school organization
that lets athletes prepare for the next season.
All of the varsity players are out for
AAU, which is why MV-AO has always had
such a strong team.
Starting in February, 5th graders to 11th
graders have been practicing and competing
in tournaments all around Iowa. If a team
places well enough in one of the tournaments,
then they are able to compete in the State
Tournament. All of the high school teams
have qualified for the State Tournament.
The junior team went to several tournaments
and they are now preparing for state.
They competed in the Onawa, Hull, Lake
City, and Manning tournament. They placed
first at Lake City, and received second place
at Manning. The juniors will go to Forest City
to the State Tournament on April 1st.
The sophomore team has been competing
in several tournaments, too. They played in
Mapleton and received first, placed second
at Galva Holstein, and also competed in the
Lake City tournament. Their state will be
April 1st in Dike.
The freshmen girls have been busy also
with tournaments in Hull, where they placed
3rd, Mapleton, Lake City, and Schaller. They
will play in Newton for state.
MVAO
baseball
season looks
promising
By Austin Bettin
The weather is getting nicer and that
means that the boy’s baseball season is just
around the corner.
The pitchers and catchers started practice
on March 6th. The rest of the team will begin
their practice on the 1st of May.
The 2006 Rams baseball team will be head
coached by Jared Ocker. This will be Jared’s
first year as head coach for the Rams team.
Beau Jacobson will be the assistant coach this
season.
Jared Ocker was a former high school
pitcher and also played college baseball at
Midland Lutheran College in Fremont and
Morningside College in Sioux City.
The Rams had an excellent season last year
with a record of 18 wins and 9 losses. The
Rams advanced through district play last season
and made it to sub-state. The Rams fell
short to making it to state by losing to Carroll
Kuemper by a score of 7-1.
James Brouillette received 2nd team all
conference honors last season and will be contributing
to the Rams team as a left fielder
and also as a pitcher. Travis Hazard also received
Honorable Mention.
The team is looking forward to a very
promising season with a new coach and also
with many starters returning back this season.
James Brouillette commented on the
upcoming season saying, “I’m really looking
forward to the season. We have many returning
players who played a lot last year and
hopefully with our experience, we can make
it to state.”
With the team making it to sub-state last
year, and many returning players, the team
is looking very promising for this upcoming
season.
“...Hopefully with
our experience, we
can make it to
state.”
-James Brouillette