Brooks Kahsai

A Mercer Island Softball player swings at a softball.

Mercer Island Girls Softball welcomes the new arrival of the team’s own designated field after months of planning and construction, starting in the summer of 2022. Located at the South Mercer Island Playfields, the Girl’s Softball field is one of three fields that have been completely redone, including new turfing, lights, fencing and logo paint. The baseball fields are situated next to a new turf field, which will be mainly used for soccer, lacrosse and football. The multipurpose fields were included in the reopening accompanying the baseball fields.

This is the first time in Mercer Island Softball history that the team has been given their own designated field. In the past years, the team practiced at the South Mercer Playfields, but never got to experience the pride in having a field to call their own.

The Boys Baseball team established their designated field in 2013 at Island Crest Park, next to Island Park Elementary School. In the spirit of equity and in regards to the anniversary of Title IX, this paved the way for equality for the Girls Softball team.

The Girls Softball team kicked off their new beginning with a 16-team jamboree. Mercer Island played three games, consisting of two 20-minute innings, losing two and winning one. The team did not let the defeat ruin their spirits, as they still eagerly talked to friends and family in-between games, including sharing their excitement about the new field.

“I think this is one of the biggest things that has ever happened to Mercer Island Softball,” senior captain Caley Newcomer said. “We have always been kind of underfunded, so for us to get new equipment and a new field–we feel so honored to have this at our disposal.”

“I’m ecstatic, I think it’s a lot of support thrown in, we had maintenance here day in and day out,” softball coach Amanda Mattocks said. “The girls feel like they have people around them, and they have the high school behind them.”

The ribbon cutting ceremony to officially announce the field was followed shortly after by the team’s 4-3 loss to Sammamish.

However, in the ceremony, the team stood in front of all their supporters accompanied by MISD Superintendent Fred Rundle, Mayor Salim Nice, past Mercer Island softball players and other planners who organized the event.

“The South Mercer Island Playfields have been home to many of our school sports teams and are used by Little League and soccer [teams],” Nice said. “By turning the fields they can now support year long play, the consistency of the surface means the field now supports a wider range of uses.”

Mercer Island Girls Softball will play their next game on March 15 at 4:30 p.m. at Sammamish High School.