Paulson to pursue softball at Bellevue College

Cascade High School senior Sarah Paulson has spent the last four years of her softball career in a Kodiaks uniform. Next year she will be wearing a Bellevue Bulldogs softball jersey.

In January, Paulson signed a letter of intent of play softball for Bellevue College next year. The Lady Kodiaks starting pitcher described her senior season as “picture-perfect,” save for Cascade's second-place finish in the District 6 tournament on May 11. Although adding another district title would have been a nice addition to the Caribou Trail League championship Cascade captured during the regular season, Paulson loves her team, and the game of softball regardless of how much hardware is in the CHS trophy case. 

“It’s always so much fun to come out to the field and play with all of the girls and be part of the Kodiak softball family again,” Paulson said. “It’s just more of being a part of the team, and being able to play with them again.”

While Paulson has a lifetime love fo the sport, her softball origins actually started when her parents registered her and her brother to play tee ball back in her home state of New Jersey. Paulson's brother transitioned to soccer, but she stayed with the game and grew to love all facets of it. Although tee ball, softball and their cousin baseball are different sports, all three sports have the same setting of a field and similar mechanics and rules.

“It’s so unique, it’s a ball with a stick and there’s so much you can do with it,” Paulson said. “It’s crazy with how much detail and how much stuff you can get out of the game. How much happiness, love and intensity it brings and how many life lessons you can learn from it. You can take that from any sport. I just loved it since I was little and I just keep coming back.”

After tee ball, Paulson had the option to play little league baseball, or softball. She almost chose baseball, which many of her friends played, until an older pitcher, someone Paulson looked up to, inspired the young athlete to choose softball.

During her first years in the sport, Paulson played on travel teams where she competed in an intense and focused environment, and recreation leagues where she learned fundamentals. She described middle school softball in New Jersey as competitive and intense, similar to the high school level.

Paulson has been a pitcher since her tee ball days where she would stand next to her father on the mound. Her arm has been one of the weapons of the Lady Kodiaks’ ball club in the last four seasons. She enjoys pitching because of the pressure it puts on her, as well as the support she receives from her teammates.

“The whole team has your back and you’re doing such a big job to help out everyone,” Paulson added. “It’s a battle every single time a batter comes up. You really have to be mentally in it. It’s a lot of work, but I really like it.”

Pitching can be physically demanding, especially when a player throws for seven innings, or more if a team plays a doubleheader. While Paulson has endured some shoulder and back issues from her countless innings in the circle, she noted that pitching can also be mentally taxing.

She remembered some words of wisdom she received while attending a softball camp with one of her idols, Olympic medalist and former Chicago Bandits pitcher Jennie Finch.
“(Finch) said ‘every pitch, every time you turn around and come back on the mound, it’s a new pitch and a completely whole new situation,’” Paulson added. “I forget about the last pitch, whether it was good or bad. I try and forget the last game, and come back, and do my best that I can.”

Paulson's family moved to Leavenworth when she was an eight-grade. Being on the Lady Kodiaks ballclub has allowed her to play on a highly competitive team and grow with her teammates.
“It’s amazing being able to grow with the girls,” she said. “We’re a family. Being on the softball team together and growing up next to them every single day ... you can’t really replicate it or describe it.”

As for playing college ball, Paulson said she had few offers from different schools, including Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake. She added that Bellevue reached out to Cascade Head Coach Todd Gilbert regarding potential recruits from the CTL. Current Caribou Trail players on Bellevue's roster include Omak's Nashoni Boyd and Rhaney Harris.

Paulson visited Bellevue and fell in love with the campus and the team, and went back for a recruiting camp. The day after her second Bellevue visit, Paulson attended a camp at Wenatchee Valley College.

“I loved all of them, they’re amazing, but Bellevue really stuck,” she added. “I’m excited to get to go play with them.”

Although she would love to play softball throughout her college years and beyond, Paulson plans to focus on her education and attain an architecture degree. Her pursuit of architecture stems from her love of math. She initially wanted to be a mathematician, but architecture allows her to combine her love of math, science and art.

“I think it’s going to be the perfect combination (of the subjects),” Paulson said. “I draw a lot of for fun and I paint, and I’ll draw cards. I really like drawing buildings and landscapes.”

Paulson’s senior season with Cascade is coming to a close as the Lady Kodiaks will take on Colville in a CTL-Northeast A League crossover game. If Cascade defeats Colville, they will advance to the 1A Softball State Championships, May 24-25 in Yakima.

One year earlier, Paulson and the Cascade team captured the district title before qualifying for the 2018 state tournament. She remembered crying and hugging her teammates on the field after winning districts, then traveling to Yakima for state competition, both of which comprise her favorite softball memories.

“Even if we didn’t do that well at state, it’s just the experience of going there, getting to hang out at the team and celebrate that accomplishment,” Paulson said. “Everybody was so tight.”

As she prepares to leave for college, Paulson will miss playing on the field with her Cascade teammates.

“I’ll miss being able to turn around (on the mound) and seeing my best friends behind me,” she added.