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Sports

Takoma Fire Softball Club Holds Fall Tryouts

The Takoma Fire Softball Club held a final round of tryouts to fill out its roster on Sunday.

Takoma Fire Softball, a travel softball program for females ages 8 and up, held a second round of tryouts at Montgomery Blair High School on Sunday after last week's preliminary practice. Sundayʼs auditions, held for the 16-year-old youth program, consisted of five girls.  In total, 26 individuals from various schools in the area competed for 15 roster spots for the fall league team.

The Fire team was created five years ago with a recreational squad. It lasted in that fashion until, according to Peter Ettinger, a parent and league board member, "we realized we were accomplishing a lot." This led the team to evolve into its current competitive state, in which many participants play softball year-round.

"At this level, most of the girls would aspire to play in a college league," said Kevin Schweicknardt, another parent and active board member.

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Blake Morgan-Gamber, a junior at Blair High School competing for a spot on Sunday, plays for both the Blair High School team in the spring and the Takoma Fire during the fall season.

"A lot of people I play with during the school year play and it's good practice,"
said Morgan-Gamber, who is looking into playing the sport in college but remains unsure.

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The upcoming fall season will consist of approximately four tournaments and five or six weekend double-headers, Ettinger said. Although there is a league that plays mid-week, the Takoma Fire team has elected not to be involved with it this year.

Coach Sera Morgan feels optimistic about the upcoming season and the new team.

"They look very good but itʼs kind of hard to know [how the season will go]. Most of them havenʼt played in a month so thereʼs a bit of rust. Every position is contested," she said.

This year, the players face an even greater challenge than usual, as the level of competition is set to be raised.

"Weʼll be playing up a division. Our goal is to play competitive and show our players they can play with and against anyone," said Ettinger.

According to Ettinger, the Fire's selection board will examine the potential players' "ability to instinctually move to the ball" in addition to their "understanding of the game and mix of spirit" when determining who will fill the 15 open roster spots.

Players will be notified of the results of tryouts within the next week, and the season will officially begin Sept. 12.

For more information on the Takoma Fire, visit takomafire.com.

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