Sydni Huisman was a freshman at Central College in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began. “At the time, we didn’t really know what had been taken from us.” It was just the beginning of a challenging college career. “We wore masks all the time.” It wasn’t the same,” said Hausmann. Fast-forward to 2022, and the mask has peeled off, Huisman ready to take control of her first “normal” college season. “She pitched the best pitch of her life,” she said. “Everything was going well. And then everything changed. Last year we were very excited. Sidni is healthy and her junior teammates are healthy,” head coach George Wares said. “Then, 15 to 30 minutes before the first pitch (of the first game of the season), I looked over the field and she was down,” Hausmann said. Told. Those were the last words an athlete wanted to hear. “Softball was my life. It’s my passion. It’s everything to me. My world was kind of turned upside down. At that moment I was no longer a player. I was going to be just a teammate, a cheerleader,” Houseman said. But it didn’t last long. “I always didn’t want to be on the sidelines,” Houseman said. “I thought I could contribute. I really did.” I was. “Sometimes it brought me down and I just had to take a deep breath. Once I let the pain go, it came back. But it helped me grow mentally as an athlete knowing what I was capable of.” When it’s not 100 percent,” Huisman says. Huisman is doing great, even though it’s been less than a year since her surgery. “I had really high hopes for the season after losing the last three seasons. For many reasons, I just wanted the season to be good.” and gave up. Less than one step or one hit per inning.”To finally get the season going… I wanted to be a freshman. This is what I want as a college athlete. These high levels.” I want to play in. I want to be in this winning environment.
Sydni Huisman was a freshman at Central College in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began.
“The pandemic hit and it was devastating,” Houseman said. “At the time, we really didn’t know what had been taken from us.”
It was just the beginning of a challenging college life.
“We were wearing masks all the time. It wasn’t the same,” Hausman said.
Fast-forward to 2022, and the mask has peeled off, with Huisman ready to take control of his first “normal” college season.
“I threw the best pitch of my life,” she said. “Everything worked for me.”
After that, everything changed.
“Last year we were very excited…Sidni is healthy and her junior teammates are healthy,” head coach George Wares said. When I looked over the field 15 to 30 minutes before the first pitch of the game, she was down.”
“I threw the fastball inside and it came off my hand and fell forward. I wasn’t sure what happened,” Hausmann said.
“She blew her ACL with a non-contact injury and she was done,” Wares said.
Those were the last words an athlete wanted to hear.
“Softball was my life. It’s my passion. It’s everything to me. My world was kind of turned upside down. At that moment I was no longer a player. I was going to be just a teammate, a cheerleader,” Houseman said.
But it didn’t last long.
“I always didn’t want to be on the sidelines,” Houseman said. “I thought I could contribute. I really did.”
So, with a torn ACL, Houseman pitched 30 innings.
“Sometimes it brought me down and I just had to take a deep breath. Once I let the pain go, it came back. But it helped me grow mentally as an athlete knowing what I was capable of.” When it’s not 100 percent,” Huisman says.
Less than a year after the surgery, Hausmann is fully committed.
“The first game of the season, the first two pitches, I was shaking on the mound,” Houseman said. “I had very high hopes for the season after losing the last three seasons.
The seniors are 14-3, have an ERA well under 2.00, and don’t give up a single walk or hit per inning.
“To finally get to the season…we wanted to have a freshman.This is what you want as a college athlete.You want to play at these high levels.You want to be in this winning environment.And. So far, it’s hard to believe it’s actually working,” Huisman said.