Future Softball Leaders: 2030 Captains In The Making

It takes quite a lot to become a team captain: grit, leadership, hard work, determination, and love for the game. If you pay close enough attention, it's easy to spot potential leaders by their performances on and off the softball field. The athletes on this list definitely fit the bill for possible captains in the clubhouse.   Below, Prep Softball highlights five outstanding players and leaders from the 2030 class who are captains in the making.    Payton Everett is already used to playing on the big stage. The Texas native helped her team, Bombers Gold Futures, win the 14U Tier III AFCS National Championship this summer. She puts extra work in on her hitting drills and it certainly shows on the field. When she is able to get her arms extended, the ball jumps off of her bat. She is also a capable fielder with a strong arm, good accuracy, and is quick on her feet. Perhaps most importantly, she is always looking to improve her skills in all facets of the game, making her a good role model for younger players and her teammates alike, and a leader in the making.     Kyla Paul has some serious pop in her bat, and that might be an understatement. On Sept. 22, she went 5-for-9 at the plate with three home runs, two doubles, and 10 RBIs. The following month, she was up to her old tricks again, going 3-for-5 with eight RBIs. She is composed in the batter's box, and is able to produce an enormous amount of power to all fields without overswinging. Behind the dish, she has a rocket of an arm, strong accuracy, little-to-no movement behind the plate, and good rapport with her pitchers. She is an energetic and supportive teammate who clearly loves the game. All of these qualities will bode well for her in the future as a leader of her teams.     The stats help tell the story of Charlotte Schrand's productive summer with the bat. Playing for the Tennessee Mojo, Schrand hit .484 with a .564 on-base percentage and a 1.155 OPS against top talent. This fall, she has had much of the same results. At the PGF KY Chrome Invite in October, she helped her team clinch the title and hit for a .455 batting average, including two doubles. She is a versatile infielder, and is able to play second base, shortstop, or third base with excellent range and accuracy. Schrand is also an avid weightlifter, and continuously works on improving her hitting, fielding, and arm strength. She celebrates her teammates' accomplishments and is a good role model on how to play the game.     Kailey Bommarito is not afraid to dive for a ball, whether it's up the middle or down the line. The California product has quick reflexes, and that's an absolute must if you're playing shortstop or third base at the next level. She also has terrific power to all fields and has a knack for hitting line drives into the gaps. At the same time, she is adept at simply putting the ball in play and finding holes in the infield. She is an exceptional student with a 4.0 GPA, and being from California, she plays in a softball hotbed. She has also played and thrived in big moments, helping her team win the Pretty in Pink Bash for Cash tournament earlier this fall.     Brynlee Yates was rock solid in the circle for Team North Carolina Yates this summer. In the month of July alone, she threw a shutout with eight strikeouts, then 6.2 innings with 10 strikeouts, and finally, four innings with five strikeouts. She has a rise ball that elicits plenty of whiffs, a knee-buckler for a changeup, and good tailing action on her fastball. She also can swing the bat fairly well. In her 7th grade varsity season earlier this year, she had a .411 batting average and 37 hits in 90 at-bats. Additionally, she had a clutch three-run double this summer for her travel ball team, which was part of a 3-for-3 day for her at the plate. She is well prepared for high school ball, and is bound to make a splash with college coaches in the near future.

It takes quite a lot to become a team captain: grit, leadership, hard work, determination, and love for the game. If you pay close enough attention, it's easy to spot potential leaders by their performances on and off the softball field. The athletes on this list definitely fit the bill for possible captains in the clubhouse.