Howell stepping onto the base in high school
Coppell freshman infielder Natalie Howell runs back to first base at the Coppell ISD Baseball/Softball Complex on Tuesday. Howell started playing softball at age 8 and she is one of the four freshmen on the Coppell High School varsity softball team.
April 15, 2022
CHS9 first baseman/utility player Natalie Howell is one of the four freshmen on the Coppell varsity softball team. She found her passion for softball at age 8 as a second grader.
Why did you start playing softball?
My dad, John Howell, really loved baseball when he was a kid. I credit my dad for playing softball because he really wanted me to play it and I ended up loving it.
What emotions do you experience when you play?
A lot of times I love it so much that I get slightly emotional. I get really happy when something good happens.When a teammate gets a really good hit, everybody in the dugout is jumping up and down screaming and when stuff doesn’t go your way, it does get frustrating sometimes.
How do you feel playing varsity as a freshman?
I feel really accomplished, but when it comes down to it; it wasn’t just me who did this. It took a lot of people; my parents driving me to lessons, my coaches and my teammates all helped with that.
What is one fond memory of softball?
I remember when I was really young, I was probably 10 to 11, I had my first grand slam. It was really cool.
What obstacles have you faced?
In softball, especially in hitting, we sometimes batters go through things we call hitting slumps. You go through a time where you don’t get good hits or something’s wrong with your swing and that happens every once in a while. It can be frustrating, but you just gotta put work in and work out what’s not working.
How have your priorities changed?
You have to find a balance in priorities, you always put school first. If you can’t get good grades you can’t play the sport and you have to find time for yourself, your friends and your family. You can’t always just be about softball, but it is one of the big parts of my life.”
What are your future plans?
I hope to one day play in college and to always work hard and get better at the sport. I don’t want to go to one of the biggest softball schools ever, I just want to play because I love the sport.
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