NEW ENGLAND, N.D. — On a partially drenched softball field on the outskirts of New England High School, the newly-formed Tigers tiptoe through the mud during what is just their second outdoor practice.
While it may not be the most aesthetically pleasing sight, it’s a moment that head coach Abby Kessel had been patiently waiting more than two years to see.
New England officially announced the formation of its first-ever softball team in November. But if you were a student in Ms. Kessel’s English class over the last couple of years, you knew long before anyone else.
Kessel, a three-time all-state softball player at Heart River, had been sending out interest surveys for the past two years, simply trying to gauge interest in softball.
Whether it was asking her students, or reaching out to different schools in the surrounding area, she did everything she could to try and bring a team to New England.
And slowly but surely, interest started to form.
While the total number of participants was initially high, it began to dwindle. Kessel put out feelers to other schools in the area and eventually found the minimum number of players needed to form a team. The final list was slashed down to 11.
While the team will compete under the New England name, it will feature students from Bowman County. Havyn Quintanilla, who had tried to play through Bowman for years – filling the gap with rec softball before ultimately taking a break last season – remembers when her now-fellow Bowman teammate got the news.
“She was like, ‘they did it – Mr. Sen, our principal, signed the papers.’ I was like, ‘Signed the papers for what?’ And it turns out Abby had reached out to all the schools in our area,” Quintanilla said.
And just like that, a team was officially born.
A de facto co-op can set the stage for an interesting dynamic. Bringing together players from different schools at a young age can come with some uncertainty about acceptance. It was no different for Quintanilla, who walked into the New England not knowing anyone.
Carter Dooner / The Dickinson Press
“I was like, we’re gonna get there and they’re gonna be like ‘hi,’ but we’re never really gonna be accepted. That was my idea,” she said.
As it turned out, the complete opposite was true.
Within just a couple days, the group had already made plans to get lunch, with card games and bonding activities in the works. Even before the fifth day of practice, they were already making plans to hang out outside of softball.
“I think we had a plan within like 30 minutes,” sophomore Breanna Erickson said.
Throughout practice, you’ll find music blaring – a mix of country and Disney musicals echoing through. For a group that’s only been together for less than a week, there’s already an unusual sense of camaraderie forming.
And the Tigers have one rule they have to follow in practice.
“We’re not allowed to talk negatively about ourselves,” Quintanilla said.
It’s a rule that, in some sense, is a necessary principle. Many of the girls on the team hadn’t picked up a softball before this season, making a judgment-free environment a major emphasis.
Carter Dooner / The Dickinson Press
Coach Kessel kept things simple on the first day of practice: how to throw a ball, how to field it, and where to place their fingers on the laces. Some even needed a refresher on the game’s basic rules.
“Most of them never played, never watched a game of softball, or even picked one up before. So everyone was kind of nervous,” Kessel said.
Just one week in, it seems the results are already starting to show – not just week-to-week, but day-to-day, even hour-to-hour. The Tigers had their first three days of practice indoors, with limited space for most drills. When they finally got out on the diamond behind the school, the progress was noticeable.
Carter Dooner / The Dickinson Press
“It’s so crazy because within the first five days, just the amount of improvement that has happened,” Erickson said. “I never thought that by Friday we would be pitching or hitting off pitchers.”
It probably doesn’t hurt to have somewhat of a southwest North Dakota softball legend leading the way. Kessel has several all-state accolades to her name at Heart River and helped lead the Cougars to an impressive 22-3 record her senior season, eventually moving on to play softball at Mayville State in 2022.
She now uses that experience to help her team. But more than anything, it may be the attitude she brings that stands out most.
“She’s so on top of everything all the time. She’s so happy to be doing this and so passionate about it. She’s been sick the past couple days, but she came back like a spring,” Quintanilla said.
She’s also had help from the New England community, which showed overwhelming support when the team was announced.
“Lots of parents said, ‘if you ever need anything, I’ll come help volunteer,’” Kessel said. “The park board said they’d help drag the field and get it ready. Parents are willing to live stream games and everything like that. So it’s been super great that everyone’s willing to help,” Kessel said.
And while expectations may not be that of a state championship team this season, simply being able to step onto the field may mean more than any banner or plaque ever could.
In a generation where sports participation has somewhat dwindled – and teams increasingly rely on co-ops just to field a full team – the Tigers are a reminder that sports are still alive and well in southwest North Dakota.
And for the 11 Tigers who came out, they get to hang their hats on being the first.
“There’s something very rewarding about being able to say that you’re the first,” Erickson said. “To have a whole bunch of my little sisters getting their batting stuff out and getting so excited, it’s this rewarding feeling knowing they’re going to have the opportunity to play softball.”
