“Create pressure for the other team and refuse to be taken down,” said Canute sophomore Makenzie Thompson, a power bat and emerging leader for the Trojan slow-pitch softball program. “My personal goal is to build off last season, be a better leader for my teammates, and keep getting closer to my goals.”
Thompson has already established herself as a major offensive force. “Batting average: .479, hits: 57, home runs: 3, doubles: 16, OBP: .525, OPS: 1.248, SLG: .723,” she said, noting that she also plays basketball, is involved in FCA and FFA, and that her “plans after high school are to go play softball and become a cardiac sonographer.”
She said the bond within the Canute lineup is what sets this group apart. “We’re like family,” Thompson said. “We work hard for each other and truly all love each other like family.” That connection shows on the diamond. “Definitely how amazing our chemistry is,” she said. “We work together to achieve our goals.”
Consistency has been a key focus early in the year. “Being consistent on the field,” Thompson said when asked about the team’s biggest improvement so far. The ultimate target is clear. “Definitely winning state,” she said. “I’m working every day on my craft to do my part in us achieving that goal.”
Thompson views herself as a tone-setter for the Trojans. “I feel like my role is to be a leader by setting examples on the field for my girls,” she said. At the plate, she keeps the approach simple and aggressive. “I look to hit it where they’re not or over their heads,” she said.
Her preparation starts long before first pitch. “I have been in the weight room lifting and becoming more powerful for game situations,” Thompson said. She wants her legacy to be bigger than stats. “I want to start a winning culture for the future, and show everybody what it takes to be successful,” she said.
Away from competition, the Trojans know how to keep things loose. “We love music, we are always jamming out to all types of music,” Thompson said, adding that her go-to hype song is “Comedown” by Bush. “Making it to state with my best friends” remains her favorite memory in a Canute uniform so far.
