Athlete of the Week: Sydney Schwieterman of Springfield High School

 Athlete of the Week: Sydney Schwieterman of Springfield High School

HOLLAND, Ohio — The Springfield High School softball team is expected to compete for another Northern Lakes League title this year and one of their senior superstars is already off to an amazing start.
Last year, Schwieterman hit .430 with six home runs and she drove in 42 runs. At the pace she’s off to this year, she might beat those numbers fairly quickly.
Through four games, she’s 9-12 at the plate and has already hit two home runs.
“Rob (Gwozdz) always tells us to go up with an approach, we always have a plan,” said Schwieterman. “I guess my plan is to just put it in play and help out the team however I can.”
The team is also off to an unbelievable start. They’re 4-0 and they’ve outscored their opponents 50-0. Schwieterman is a big reason why they’ve had success early.
“She had an amazing year last year, she hit over .400 last year,” said Springfield softball head coach Rob Gwozdz. “She started out with two home runs already this year. You can see the confidence is just oozing with her.”
“You have to have confidence at the plate,” said Schwieterman. “If you don’t have confidence, you’re not gonna have success. I am pretty confident when I’m up there hitting.”
On top of being a huge contributor, she’s also a complete team player.
“Syd’s a four-year starter and she’s one of the most versatile kids I’ve ever had,” said Gwozdz. “Last year she was an all-district and all-NLL player at first base. We had a void in centerfield and she said ‘Hey put me out there coach.’ She’s taken right over in that centerfield spot. She can play pretty much anywhere on the diamond.”
“It’s a great feeling knowing there’s pressure,” said Schwieterman. “Knowing there’s people trying to take your spot is exhilarating.”