The Madison College softball team can be proud of its accomplishments this season. Since beginning in February, it has notched an overall record of 12-3 and a .800 winning percentage.  

Head coach Leo Kalinowski attributed the team’s success to various factors, such as the players’ preseason work during the winter and their practice in February. It also doesn’t hurt to have freshman pitcher Kendall Weik. 

During the team’s spring break trip, Weik set a single-game record for 15 strikeouts in a 6-1 win over Lackawanna CC. She and pitcher Brook Steinhorst have been fundamental parts of the team’s success, as have the rest of the team.  

However, Kalinowski credits what the team does off the field as the secret to their underlying success, describing their recent spring break trip to South Carolina, where the coaching staff had a front seat to the players’ interactions. They saw players not only having fun but lifting each other when needed. 

“They’re going to be friends for years and decades down the road. You can just tell by their personalities. We just saw a lot of really, really positive things out of our players,” he said.  

Beginning with a trip to the zoo last year, along with barbeques, spaghetti dinners and hikes, the players use the preseason to get to know each other. These events, often led by sophomores, helped the players become more acquainted and cohesive.  

In addition to socializing, the team used their time last fall to participate in a weekly mindfulness presentation led by Bradley McDowell, a psychology instructor at the college. The team learned breathing exercises and the importance of keeping themselves in the moment, like when things may not go their way during a game.  

Mindfulness helps bring a player back into the present moment. This instruction helps not only in the game but also in life.  

Kalinowski and his assistant coaches, Mike Bridge, Cat Hiller, Jim Wickert, and Ellie Rademacher, have a philosophy of always prioritizing relationships over results.  

“The wins are great, but we coach for the relationships,” said Kalinowski, who also serves as the student-athletes athletic academic advisor. “It’s making sure we make a positive impact on our players. That’s the key thing. We love to win games, but in the end, it’s only a game. It’s everything else that comes with it.” 

The staff also wants their players to manage expectations and learn to identify themselves as more than just athletes.  

Kalinoski has seen tremendous pressure on athletes. Being immersed in sports isn’t necessarily good for their well-being. He wants them to know that their ability to play softball is not their identity.  

“This is only a game. It’s not life or death. We still love you whether you win or lose the game. In the end, it’s all about the relationships that you’re going to create here,” he said. 

Kalinoski wants his athletes to know that winning or losing a game doesn’t define the person they become.  

“There is a lot of pressure in sports, and they get that’s their identity – but it’s not their identity. You want to give it your best, just like you want to give it your best in real life. They go hand in hand,” he said.  

Editor note: The WolfPack softball team encourages students, staff, and faculty to come out to the Goodman Diamond and watch a game.