Holtz Gives Leadership to Raider Softball
"Always give 100% out there." While this is one of the most popular anecdotes uttered by coaches to their players, many athletes fail to act on this. However, pitcher Lindsey Holtz, a junior, has bucked this trend, and it has paid off in a big way for the 20-5 Raiders, who play this week in the state playoffs.
"Every time I go out on the mound, I always try to give 100% with every pitch," said Holtz.
Holtz's junior year also marks a decade of her being involved with the sport.
"At age seven, I saw a bunch of other kids playing and it looked like a lot of fun, so I told my parents I wanted to start playing. At age 12, I started to play travel ball and from then on I knew that softball was something that I wanted to continue."
Holtz credits her love of softball to the intensity of the games, along with the feeling of a good at bat.
"My favorite part of the game would have to be the competition during close games. It's intense, but it makes the game that much more exciting. I also love when you get a good hit and the way it feels when the ball comes off the bat."
When Holtz arrived at Loudoun County High School as a freshman, she played a year of junior varsity. Just one year later though, she was able to make the hop from the JV to the varsity squad.
"My freshman year in JV was definitely a time where I could build as a pitcher but, as a sophomore I was able to make the jump to varsity. Since then, I have really enjoyed playing for the team. The past two years have been extremely exciting."
Since arriving on the varsity squad, Holtz has had a big impact on the success of the Raiders. At the time of print, the Raiders were second in the Dulles District with a 7-2 record in district play, only trailing the nationally ranked Broad Run Spartans. Holtz humbly credits the success of her team to her teammates.
"My teammates are extremely hard-working and they always give 100% effort in everything they do. I'm very fortunate to be able to have them as my defense because I know I can always count on them to get out of a tough situation. They are always getting key hits, putting the ball in play, and scoring runs."
The success of Holtz and her teammates has been a crucial factor in the forming of a bond within the team. "The bond between the team and I is strong because we all get along with each other really well. Everyone knows each other very well and when someone's down we know what to do to pick them up. The best part about the team is we always have fun no matter what the situation may be."
Holtz also credits the success of her team to the coaching staff, a staff that she describes as being very supportive and knowledgeable of the game.
"Coach [Ryan] Vance and Coach [Heather] Todd have been very supportive of me and have put a lot of effort into pulling the team together. They always know how to pump us up for games and it makes everyone more eager to go out and play. They have a great knowledge of the game. No matter what the outcome of the game may be, they still strive for us to do better."
With the final stretch of the season to go, a stretch that includes a state playoff match-up this week, the Raiders may be the sleeper in the hunt for a trip to Radford.....
