Sarah Klearman
Sports Editor
It’s a well known fact among softball players that pitchers decide the fate of the game. Having a talented pitcher can set the tone for a great season, while having two talented pitchers can set a team up to win it all. That’s exactly the situation that the New Canaan softball team has found themselves in with senior Ali Reilly and junior Jamie Schlim.
Ali started playing softball in elementary school, and knew that she wanted to be a pitcher as early as the fifth grade. “I’ve been playing softball for almost ten years,” she said. “I remember wanting to pitch in youth league, and one of my coaches pulling me aside and suggesting that I get a personal coach.”
Jamie said that she also wanted to pitch at a young age. “I started in youth league, and my first year I made the All-Star team,” she said. “We won the state championship with a girl who could pitch at a really high speed, and I remember being fascinated by how fast she could throw it. After that, I started throwing with my dad pretty regularly.”
Both girls plan to continue their softball careers into college. Jamie will play at the University of Virginia, and Ali plans to continue on at Babson College in Massachusetts.
Having two talented pitchers on the team not only creates a unique dynamic for the team itself, but also between the two girls. “There aren’t many softball players in New Canaan, and Ali and I played together on a travel team in the seventh grade, so I have always known her,” Jamie said. “She’s always there to back me up, and I’ve learned a lot from the way that she conducts herself on and off the field. She’s been an amazing role model.”
Ali and Jamie regularly work together to help each other improve and fill gaps in the game as needed. “Having Jamie on the team has definitely pushed me to work hard, but it’s also been a relief,” Ali said. “Being able to split the games and be there for each other is a huge help.”
Pitching can be tiring mentally as well as physically. “Mental toughness is a key characteristic to have as a pitcher,” Jamie said. “It’s the most active role in the game, and there are a lot of high pressure situations. If you get timid or nervous out there, it really affects your game.”
Jamie says that she has seen Ali demonstrate that type of mental toughness continuously throughout the season. “During our Darien game, Ali was under a lot of pressure, but she just pitched her game,” she said. “As a pitcher, there are going to be parts of the game that you can’t control, and Ali did a really good job not thinking about that and just kept going.”
Having the most active role in the game is a part of pitching that both girls enjoy. “There are a lot of things that you can’t control in the game,” Ali said. “To know that I have that power on the mound is my favorite part.”
Jamie agreed. “You have a huge role in deciding the fate of the game,” she said. “It can be stressful, but overall really enjoy it because knowing that you’re contributing to the game is a great feeling.”
Sophomore Claire Conley is a member of the girls varsity softball team, and sees how much both Ali and Jamie care about the game. “They both really want to win, and they believe in our team,” she said. “As the two most important people on the field, it’s really important that we work with both of them, and that they work with each other. They definitely do a good job with that.”
