France Shares Regrets over Cancelled Season

By Chris Tramel

 Your senior year is supposed to be fun and celebratory. High school senior ballplayers have spent years on various school teams, training and practicing, and working their way through the ranks of the team. Their senior year is supposed to be a time when the spotlight is on their accomplishments.

 The DeKalb County Tigerettes softball team's Kenzie France is one of those seniors. The year 2020 wasn't kind to her team, or any other spring sports teams. Rather than being on the pitcher's mound, or playing first or third base, France saw her season postponed, and then eventually cancelled.

 "Not being able to play ball this year was one of the worst things for me during all this covid mess," Kenzie told the Smithville Review. "I was really disappointed and was really looking forward to my senior year. Whenever they told me I wouldn't be able to finish it out at DeKalb, it was a really big bummer, and big disappointment."

 France said that her season was first marred by rainy weather before news of the coronavirus hit the news. " We got to play three games in a preseason tournament, before they called the season."

 She said that while she wanted to have closure with her high school softball career, it's not the end of the sport for her. "I'm actually going to play at Cumberland University, so I know that my softball career isn't over, but I still wanted to finish my last year at DeKalb County High School."

 Kenzie said that while she missed being on the diamond, it was actually the camaraderie with her teammates that she misses the most. "My favorite memories of playing with the Tigerettes are when we were in the dugout, all screaming and cheering each other on. Just making those memories and being goofy together. We were always a team and always a family."

 While school may have been cancelled through 2020, France said that she still learned some valuable lessons. "Never take anything for granted, obviously, because you never know when your last game is going to come. Thank you to Coach Fish for everything he's done. Always give it your all, even during practice. Even when things don't go your way, or the way you think they're supposed to go, just continue to have faith in God and trust in His plan. Always put the team above yourself, and put God before everything."