Comment: Suncoast Storm shines

Every once in a while I come across a team that embodies the true spirit of a champion.

The SunCoast Storm ’98 travel softball team is one of those teams. The girls not only have the skill, drive, determination, work ethic and mindset to carry them every time they step out onto the field, but they also understand the importance of camaraderie and team unity.

With 11 tournament titles, including two state championships under its belt this season, the Storm have proven time and again that legacies aren’t indicative of individual accolades. Rather, it’s how a team carries itself; relies on itself; and believes in itself that makes all of the difference.

A simple walk around the Miss Manatee Softball complex in Lakewood Ranch, and you will see exactly what I’m talking about.

With state championship banners hanging on the fences all around the complex, the girls move about the field with strict precision. They know exactly what they should be doing at any given moment.

And, although they understand the importance of laughter and having fun, the girls also understand why they are there.

They are there to practice. They are to get better. They are there to win and ultimately prepare for their futures.

And those around them have taken notice, including their younger counterpart the SunCoast Storm ’00 team.

After struggling to close out games the way they knew they were capable of, the Storm ’00 girls upped their practice schedule to three nights a week. But it wasn’t until the girls were waiting to take the field in the South Florida “B” State Championship that the team realized the importance of coming together as a team and fighting for what they believed they were capable of — even if the odds were stacked against them.

“We got together, and I told everyone we weren’t going to win playing as two teams because only one team can win,” Storm ’00 catcher Luci Derrick said.

After landing in the losers’ bracket, the girls battled back, winning seven straight games in a single day, including two in extra innings, to capture their first state championship.

And, as I interviewed the team in the days that followed its improbable comeback, I couldn’t help but notice that this team also had started down the path toward leaving its own mark on the youth softball program, proving true champions eventually find their own unique way to shine.