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‘What else do we do now?’: Galena senior Sami Wasmund has softball season end abruptly

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GALENA–Sami Wasmund is one of many seniors across the country who had the spring season cut short due to COVID-19. Not only did Wasmund and her fellow members of the class of 2020 miss out on athletic achievements, but they also missed out on all the typical senior year activities.

Wasmund had an active high school career. She played volleyball, basketball and softball, starting varsity in volleyball and softball during her sophomore year. In basketball, Wasmund was a four-year varsity player.

Wasmund’s volleyball and basketball careers are filled with victories and records and she and her softball teammates were looking to continue to build the Pirate softball team this season into one that is on par with those other sports.

Outside of athletics, Wasmund was involved in Key Club, National Honor Society, Servant Leadership, Spanish Club and FFA.

Wasmund said her senior basketball and softball seasons were memorable.

“We did really well,” said Wasmund. “It was exciting to be a part of it. We went to state last year, so that was the goal this year.”

Wasmund said even though the team didn’t reach its ultimate goal, it was a great experience filled with many memories.

“Basketball we won conference and regionals,” said Wasmund. “That was so exciting.”

Wasmund’s final games during the basketball season were encumbered by a bout of mono that wasn’t diagnosed until after the basketball season was completed.

“I was playing basketball with mono,” said Wasmund. “My face was all puffy in the pictures. I look back at pictures and was like ‘Yikes, I did not look good!’”

Due to her mono diagnosis, Wasmund was out for the first couple weeks of softball. The date she was supposed to return was the first day of spring break.

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“I went my senior season without even touching a softball,” said Wasmund.

Wasmund said she misses having the chance to continue her softball career. She takes every chance possible to pick up a softball.

“The first couple weeks were getting everyone motivated, but we never got to the game,” said Wasmund. “It was like ‘What else do we do now?’”

Wasmund recalled all the information and rumors that swirled during those first weeks of the pandemic.

“When school got cancelled, they weren’t sure what was going to happen with sports,” said Wasmund. “We thought they were going to move it to the summer and we thought that would be fun, but it kept getting pushed back.”

Wasmund said it was hard to imagine at first that the season was actually over.

“It doesn’t feel like high school is over,” said Wasmund. “I didn’t get the closure of my last sport, my last class of high school, but I am glad we are having a graduation to have some sort of closure.”

Wasmund will attend Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa.

While at Briar Cliff, Wasmund will continue her volleyball career while also majoring in business or accounting.

Wasmund and her Briar Cliff teammates are set to take the court for the first time in the 2020 women’s volleyball season on Saturday, Sept. 5 against Cottey College at the William Penn Tournament in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Wasmund said a decision will be made on her fall sports season in July.