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Softball season thrown open: Webutuck and Millbrook field a joint varsity team

Softball season thrown open: Webutuck and Millbrook field a joint varsity team

Continuing a practice regimen during spring break at Webutuck’s athletic field on Monday, March 25, the combined girls’ softball team is preparing for its 2024 season. The newly combined team has gained three members from Millbrook High School this year.

Leila Hawken

AMENIA — Aligned with a growing trend toward schools combining sports programs to field viable teams, Webutuck High School has welcomed three players from Millbrook High School for the 2024 girls’ softball season, growing their team to 13.

Head coach Chris Osterman, now in his second season of coaching the girls’ softball team, was conducting an intensive practice session at Webutuck on Monday, March 25, despite the academic spring break; practice was scheduled throughout the school’s spring break to ensure that the team would be ready for the coming season.

Osterman has been coaching sports at Webutuck for 18 years of experience coaching sports at Webutuck.

Another team experiencing its first combined year is girls’ soccer, said Daniel Pietrafesa, a spokesperson for Webutuck Central School District. The boys’ football team has also joined forces with Millbrook’s team.

“It’s very beneficial, giving young athletes a chance to compete in the sport they love playing,” said Pietrafesa. “We’re all here to give the kids a chance to play.”

Overall, there are three combined teams participating in the spring sports season, Pietrafesa said. Those teams are track and field, softball and baseball.

“Millbrook brings a lot of talent,” said team member Grainne Williams, a Webutuck senior.

“I like to meet and have new people playing with me,” she added, predicting that her team will have a winning season. Williams praised the team’s potential as they are learning to work as a team and she spoke for her team that they have a good coach.

An experienced combined girls’ team soccer player (outside wing) in the fall sports roster, pitcher Madison Krueger of Millbrook, a junior, is no less enthusiastic about her softball team’s prospects this year.

Varsity softball opens its season on Wednesday, April 3 at Housatonic Valley Regional High School. The home opener and league opener will be against Dover on Wednesday, April 10.

The season will continue until mid-May.

Leila Hawken
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