Golden Rams hold media day event at Armed Forces Reserve Center

If their past games are any indication, the Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) Golden Rams women’s fast-pitch softball team is going to have their work cut out for them, but that didn’t stop them from holding their media day in the gym at the Armed Forces Reserve Center (AFRC) across from the Cambridge Campus Tuesday.

The media day event was scarce with onlookers, but among those in attendance were Mary Jacobson, marketing/public relations liaison for ARCC. Jacobson took photos of the girls as they posed for team shots and individual photos. “We really want to bring more excitement to campus through the athletics,” stated Jacobson, “this is a good opportunity to draw in new students.” Also in attendance was Patrick Johns, ARCC school president.

The ARCC Golden Rams have played five games thus far this season and have yet to score a run. The team has been blanked in five consecutive games, losing with scores of: 30-0, 29-0, 36-0, 9-0, and 17-0, respectively. The Golden Rams are set to play 47 games this season within the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III and they are part of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference (MCAC). This is the girl’s fast-pitch softball team’s inaugural season and they admit they have a lot of team building to do. ARCC athletic director and fast-pitch softball coach Dave Alto stated, “From a team standpoint, we are just trying to improve.”

Alto has coached softball for 19 years but this is his first year coaching a college level team. He voiced his excitement over his new coaching position, stating, “we look forward to creating excitement and enthusiasm about having varsity sports at the Cambridge Campus.” He went on to say, “This [fast-pitch softball] is something the people here in Cambridge and on campus can rally around.”

The Golden Rams currently have 12 girls on the team and are looking to improve, as shown at the open practice on Tuesday. The girls spent the better part of an hour tossing balls back and forth, fielding ground balls and running sprint drills.

The girls seemed to have a lot of fun working together Tuesday during practice. There were plenty of smiles and laughs to go around as they tossed the balls around and while they posed for team photos. Ashley Peterson, Golden Rams second base player, stated before the drills started, “I love playing softball and playing with new people.” Peterson went on to say her goals for the season were, winning games and having good chemistry. Alex Thunborg, Golden Rams shortstop, said her goals are mainly having fun, meeting new people, and just enjoying the new experience.

While the girls are now spending time practicing in the AFRC gym, and playing games in various out-of-town locations, they are hopeful to be playing on their own field scheduled to be built near the AFRC by next year.

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