Softball season has officially come to an end. Along the way, they created many great memories, overcame challenges, and learned and improved as a team.

This year was Ms. Gallego’s first year coaching softball at MACES as it was her second year teaching. “I played softball for 18 years of my life, so I think it helped prepare me for how to be a coach that I wish I had,” Head Softball Coach Gallego said.

Although it was just her first year, Ms. Gallego had many attributes that made her fit to be a coach. “Her energetic, charismatic personality just makes her instantly likable which is why I think that makes her fit as a coach, since we as athletes are grasping every word she says,” Ashley Lopez, varsity softball player and junior said. She was always determined to be the best coach and this positivity was passed on to the players.

She always made everyone feel welcome and allowed them to enjoy themselves on and off the field. “She made it easy to have a voice in our team and make every teammate feel included,” Melissa Gonzalez, varsity softball player and senior said. As well, she is always checking up on the team and making sure everyone is mentally and emotionally there.  

In the words of Ms. Gallego, this first year was a “controlled chaos.” Coaching and teaching together can be hard to balance, especially when trying to rebuild a program. Fortunately for her, she had the help of Mr. Cortez, team managers, and team captains. With the help of these people, she was able to be successful.

Despite the additional support, there were still many challenges that she had to face alone. One of the biggest challenges was needing an actual field to practice on. They had to practice on a shared football field, which is much different from a dirt field. They also did not have any coaches until halfway through the season. Which backtracked a lot of the plans she had for the team.

Ultimately, it was all worth it due to the fantastic memories she had with the team. No matter the time or place, spending time with her team was just an unforgettable thing. “I just have a big smile on my face because every moment I got to know these students and these athletes was something special,” Gallego said.

Since Ms. Gallego was only able to spend one season with her senior players, she sends her best regards to those who are graduating this year. “I know all of our seniors are going to go do incredible and amazing things and I am excited to see what they do and where they go,” Gallego said.