AKRON — The names on the back of the jerseys may change. The community support never does.
The Louisville area loves the sport of softball and that was never more evident than by the sea of blue shirts visible in the stands Friday, June 5 during Louisville High School’s Division III state semifinal.
“It means everything to have the community support that we have,” Louisville senior Anna Sirohman said. “To look out in the crowd and see all of the people in Louisville shirts is special. Running out on the field in Akron and hearing all of the people cheering makes it feel like something out of a dream.”
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It’s not a dream. The support isn’t new, either.
Louisville will play in its first state championship game since 2019 at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 6. Many of the players on the field Saturday night for the Leopards were in the stands as young fans of the program during its 2019 run to winning a Division I state championship.
“I have a picture that I still look at,” Addy Campbell said. “It’s a picture of me and a lot of my current teammates in the stands at the 2019 tournament. We are all standing in front of a big sign we made to support the team.
“To know that we have younger girls from the community that are new doing the same for us fires me up.”
That’s all part of the tradition that comes with the Louisville softball program. The current Leopard players take great pride in working with the next generation of Louisville athletes as the previous generation took pride in working with them.
“It just shows the type of community we have,” Kaitlynn Miller said. “The bond that we have with each other is beyond special. The atmosphere our fans bring is incredible. Louisville is a special place.”
The type of work ethic and heart that Louisville has displayed on the way to reaching the state title game makes them easy to root for.
“These kids have all put in so much hard work,” Louisville head coach Emily Brislen said. “They show up every day and give it everything they have. I’m incredibly proud of them.”
Those are traits that have been a hallmark of Louisville teams in the past and that should extend into the future. Expect that strong community support to continue on as well.
“I know that our fans are going to come out and pack the stands tomorrow and support us,” Campbell said. “That’s one thing that is never in question in Louisville.”
Reach Cliff at cliff.hickman@cantonrep.com
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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Starry-eyed kids 7 years ago seek their own Louisville softball state title
Reporting by Cliff Hickman, Canton Repository / The Repository
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cliff Hickman, Canton Repository | USA TODAY Network
