“Everyone has their own relaxing moments. Like, for some people it could be drawing or painting or baking. For me, softball. I go, I step on the field, and I’m relaxed.” said Freshman Eva Thompson.

Eva is Central Kitsap High School’s (CKHS) starting varsity softball catcher at 15 years old. 

Being a catcher takes leadership over the field and important athletic performance in order to prevent bases from being stolen and runs achieved by the opposing team according to Sarah Lawrence, a fellow varsity member and Junior at CKHS.

Eva’s development up to this point in her life has included club softball since 2016 and a select team for the past three years but Eva also contributes a lot of her skills and training to her older sister Sydney Thompson.

Sydney was also integral in her decision to pursue fastpitch. Sydney herself played fastpitch for years before grudgingly stopping due to repeated concussions. Eva contributes a lot to the mentor and constant encourager her sister has been.

During games, the situation can be very tense for the catcher, and varsity softball is an especially tense time to compete. 

Eva said, “And then you just listened to the crowd for your family in these very strong moments to know that your family supports you and that they’re proud of you.”

This is very assuring for a student athlete like Eva, who said, “Being a freshman on varsity it’s very tough mentally because most freshmen are on JV first, because it helps them grow into that mentality. But, it’s, it’s been good to be able to grow mentally from that.”

The support of the Thompson family does not end there. Eva decided to play softball because of Sydney’s example, and while her mother, Liz Thompson, was reluctant at first, she eventually gave way.

“So I let her try out and then from then on. We’ve been so busy, and … she’s done a lot of private lessons. And we drive a lot to Port Orchard and Shelton weekly for softball because the team is based out of Allen.”

Liz is determined to let Softball always be her daughter’s choice. No matter what, when Eva calls it, it is all over. But Liz is also very proud of the skills her daughter has learned and her incredible commitment that she has invested into something she enjoys.

“And she does CrossFit to strengthen her legs. So because she’s a catcher, she does what she can to strengthen her legs to be able to stay in a squat for hours,” said Liz.

School softball has a few tournaments throughout the season, but once summer hits, every weekend will be filled with one tournament or another for her select team until school starts again in the fall. Eva is quick to thank her mother for attending every single one of these and almost all of her games, besides.

With Liz’s experiences with Sydney, softball was a grueling spectator sport in extreme heat in Colorado and Utah. The sun would bake the crowd with every game that Liz would attend to support her daughter. But when they moved to Washington, the climate persisted as cold. And wet. And cold. Unquestionably for Liz, it is a tougher spectator sport here in Washington where the cold and rain cuts through.

Eva attributes many skills to her learning in softball, she said, “If I think that a test is challenging, I always think; Oh, being on the softball varsity is more challenging than doing this test. It’s kind of like a good reference point. Yeah. Especially chemistry.”

According to Liz, one of the greatest things about her daughter’s season has been the amount of outreach from other teammates to support Eva in her classwork before practice starts. Eva is also very appreciative to the team members such as Lawrence for helping her in her schoolwork.

Lawrence said, “We aren’t like the strongest team, we all have very strong individual talent and athletic ability. We’re all very good players. We haven’t had much luck this year…And we really love being around each other. And so I think that’s almost more important. Like we just enjoy the practices and games together. And we might not win all the games, but we still have fun.”

The team camaraderie means a lot to Lawrence, Eva, and Liz. 

Lawrence said, “She’s a freshman, but she’s got good leadership skills. And she’s very kind to everyone on the team and fun to be around. She’s got a really good outgoing personality and really brings a lot of energy and just she’s pretty funny too. She just makes everyone laugh”

And anyone who knows her agrees. Liz said, “Eva is hysterically funny and determined and sensitive and wants to do the right thing. But also, wants to have fun.”