Women’s softball never fails to surprise us with the kind of drama we love in sports
The Pharaohs of Évry have just enjoyed an extraordinary 2022 season: runners-up in the French Challenge, European champions, and now French champions for the past week.
Let’s hear from some of the players and their president about their feelings:
International pitcher Emma Liminier, returning from injury:
I worked hard to come back. A bit like the team today, I never let go
Rosalie Coste
For my brother (two finals) and me, it’s been a great year, but I’m the French champion she joked as she received the trophy from the Mayor of Évry.
Aurélie Bacelon
A very, very rich season of learning that helped us take important steps as a team, such as communicating, daring to speak up to improve, and always with kindness so the group comes out even stronger.
It’s also young players who have gained a lot of confidence. Stress becomes a weapon and coexists with the joy of playing!
And as someone once told me, fear can’t coexist or resist any other emotion; it fades away.
For the coaching staff, the addition of our mental coach Élodie Delaunay has brought a lot to the table. It’s a different, complementary approach to preparing for training, challenging the athletes to discuss and prepare for games, strategies, and areas to improve.
The club is very proud to have such a team as a model and framework for our young players and players, who are also French softball 12u champions.
She adds:
Finally, I can only highlight the beautiful and long journey of the Comanches of Saint-Raphaël, who have led the championship for 13 years! What longevity and tenacity, always mobilizing, reinventing themselves, to win this series of titles that won’t be equaled anytime soon.
On her side, Raina Hunter, coach of the Saint-Raphaël team that lost this final, wants to congratulate their opponents:
First, I want to congratulate the team from Évry and the return of their pitcher Emma Liminier. She managed her two games well and prevented us from fully expressing ourselves at the plate. Her defense was solid behind her, so bravo.
There’s bound to be sadness as we’ve held the title since 2008, but every good thing must come to an end.
We lacked discipline with four consecutive errors on routine plays in the first game, which cost us dearly…
The second game, despite a strong sixth inning where we tied the score, it wasn’t enough.
Our lack of consistency cost us the win.
It’s part of sports, of course, but it’s tough and leaves a bitter taste. Now, we need to take some time to rest a bit to get back to work and reclaim the title.
The Pharaohs have shaken up the usual hierarchy of women’s softball, doing what the men in baseball can’t: dethroning the Rouen Huskies. They also qualified for next year’s European Champions Cup.
Photo credits: Glenn Gervot
