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04/29/2021 12:00 AMAbby Cody is one of the most instrumental players on the Hand softball team. A senior captain center fielder, Abby holds several important roles for the Tigers on the diamond.
As a leader, Abby motivates her teammates to become better players and is always there to lift them up if they are struggling. Aside from that, Abby uses her defensive prowess in the outfield to limit the opposition from scoring runs every game.
Although the Tigers are off to a 1-5 start this spring, Abby’s presence and confidence is keeping everyone on the squad in a positive frame of mind.
“My favorite aspect of softball is the camaraderie of a team. I’m always surrounded by teammates who support one another on both good and bad days,” says Abby. “I play center field, so my main job is to take control on the field. Another thing that I do is let players know if they are in the correct spot, knowing what type of batter is at the plate.”
Abby is currently batting .385 with a few multi-hit games for Hand. First-year Head Coach Caitlin Eichler praises Abby for her versatility on the field, along with her willingness to help the team in any way she can.
“Not only is Abby one of the two captains, but she also leads the outfield as a strong defensive center fielder. Abby takes charge running down balls and making extraordinary plays,” Eichler says. “What impresses me most about Abby is her quick reaction time and her ability to steal hits away from other teams with her incredible catches. Abby is a self-motivated player who takes initiative during games and practices, which makes her an ideal captain and teammate.”
Abby began playing softball at age five and competed on the travel circuit until she started at Hand. Abby was inspired to try the sport by her two older sisters, Emily and Kelly.
“I’ve been playing softball since I was five years old, and I played for a travel team up until high school,” Abby says. “My older sisters played while I was growing up, so I was constantly at a softball field.”
One of Abby’s favorite memories as a softball player came when she helped her Madison Little League team become the first Madison squad to ever advance to a state final.
“One moment that has stuck with me since 5th grade was when our Madison Little League team was the first team ever to make it all of the way to the state championship game,” says Abby. “I am currently still teammates with three of those players: [fellow senior captain] Grace Hartmann, [sophomore] Annie Goodrich, and [junior] Megan Hart.”
This year marks that first season that Eichler has coached Abby, but Assistant Coach David Buller has been working with Abby since she was a freshman. Abby earned a starting spot in her sophomore year, and Buller says that she’s shown remarkable growth throughout her career with the Tigers.
“At the plate, Abby has moved into the heart of the lineup and has been consistently hitting the ball and with power. Defensively, she is playing with tremendous confidence, even though she’s moved into a new role as our center fielder. Her quickness to react to the ball off the bat, coupled with her years of experience, allows her to cover much more ground than she did in her earlier years,” says Buller. “Abby’s maturity as a player and a leader is probably what impresses me the most this year. She can often be heard giving advice to our less experienced players or offering encouragement when they make a mistake.”
Abby is hoping that Hand can complete its season without any setbacks. Abby wants the Tigers to stay healthy and play every game that’s on their schedule.
“This season will be unpredictable due to COVID. We’ve already had to cancel a game due to another team quarantining,” Abby says. “We do our best to follow protocols to stay safe and healthy and, hopefully, we can enjoy a full season.”