Varsity softball, anyone?

If you come, they will build it.

This summer, the College will start construction on a new science center and finish up the environmental studies building-efforts to meet demand for quality science and environmental studies facilities.

Farther north, demand for a place to house Oberlin's next varsity sports team might lead to another project as well - a new softball field.

With the formation of a softball club team this semester and the submission of a proposal to the General Faculty Athletics Committee requesting a varsity team in the near future, it looks like the next brand of athlete to suit up in maroon and white will be a women's softball player.

Junior Jami Silver is coordinating the team this semester, which is being offered for ExCo credit. She said about 20 women have been coming to practice.

Silver also said that she is happy with the level of interest that students have expressed in the team and thinks it is a good sign for the future. She added that when the sport gains varsity status she expects even more interest. "There are a lot of athletes who aren't playing because it's not varsity," she said.

The team will play two games against NCAC teams this semester - Ohio Wesleyan and the College of Wooster. The two are the only NCAC schools without varsity softball teams, except for Earlham College, which has no team at all.

So far the team has focused on the basics of the sport - throwing and running. After more practice Silver said she will move practice to an Oberlin High School field, which the team will use since Oberlin has no softball field.

Besides organizing the team for this semester, Silver, along with Director of Athletics Mike Muska, has been writing and perfecting an official proposal for the addition of women's softball as a varsity sport.

"It's on the table right now," Silver said. "It's possible we can get a team for next year."

If things go as planned, the proposal, which is currently being reviewed by a subcommittee of the GFAC, will be presented to the General Faculty at their April meeting.

Professor of History Heather Hogan is chair of the GFAC. "I'm very excited and I hope things can proceed quickly," she said.

Acceptance of the proposal would be just the first step toward creating a varsity team. Such a team would require new uniforms, equipment and a costly new field.

"There's a range of practical issues that have to be sorted out," Hogan said.

The team would need a coach as well, of course, but the recent hiring of Jane Wildeman as women's soccer coach is good news on that front; Wildeman has experience as a college softball coach and was brought on board with the understanding she would help build a softball program in future years.

The addition of a softball team would shift the balance of men's and women's varsity teams in favor of women. There would be 11 women's sports and 10 for the men.

Silver said this would help raise the overall level of participation in women's sports at Oberlin. Silver said that while Oberlin is about 60 percent women, its varsity athletes are only about 45 percent women.

"I think it's very important to keep opening up opportunities for women to participate in athletics," Hogan said. "Clearly softball is an increasingly popular sport for high school women around the country."

While the gears that will surely establish an Oberlin softball team in the next few years grind on, the club team is looking forward to a good, fun season. Silver said it is a challenge to keep a balance between intensity and fun, but she's sure it will turn out well.

"I think it will just get better and better," Silver said.

Strike one!: Yeowomen on the new Oberlin club softball team practice their technique out on North Fields, hoping to dominate the competition in their inaugural season. (photo by Pauline Shapiro)