Spectacular Softball Superstar: A'nai Alvarez

Before coming to Hopkins, Alvarez already played softball, but wanted to try “field hockey and basketball, because they sounded interesting and [she] needed to learn the sport.” She joined these sports after coming to Hopkins “just for fun” and the “love of being on a team.” Alvarez feels as though “it’s different than a normal friend group. You feel like a real family,” and that the “secluded field” makes the team feel like “their own little bubble.” Alvarez reflects on some of the friends she has made throughout her years on sports teams at Hopkins: “[Sports] makes you be friends with people that you normally wouldn’t. Some of the kids on the softball team, if I didn’t play softball, I probably would never talk to them.” 

Alvarez reflected on her many memories as a member of Hopkins Athletics, including a playoff field hockey game during her freshman year. She recalled that “a bunch of [her] friends were able to come and support [the team].” Another standout moment was in her sophomore year when the softball team made it to championships but lost by just one point. Alvarez said it was “such a good game” and fun because they were so involved in it.

Being a part of Hopkins Athletics comes with many challenges. Alvarez says that one of the biggest challenges was switching from Junior School to high school. Alvarez echoed this struggle, “Suddenly, all of my afternoons are gone and I was so used to going home early.” She also reflected on the difficulty of having friends and teammates graduate: “The team changes every year, that can be hard. A season ends and the team is so close, and then you have 8 seniors, and now you feel like [the team] is starting fresh over." Another challenge for Alvarez was how to manage the Hopkins workload. She used her journey to away games to do work, reflecting that “It helps that [the team] plays a lot of faraway games. You always have help if you need it. But definitely a lot of late nights, completing homework on the bus, in car rides and you're really filling time wherever you can.” 

Alvarez gave advice for athletes struggling to manage their time with school and sports:  “Ask for help if you need it, whether it's you're trying a new sport and you go to an experienced player and ask for help. Or if you're falling behind in class, the teachers are so helpful here. They're so willing to be like, ‘Hey, don't worry about it. I know you got back to Hopkins at 8 o'clock. Like, it's okay.’ Everyone here is so nice and so willing to help and being a freshman is scary, but seniors are so willing to help.” 

Alvarez has also used her experience in sports to help enhance her communication skills: “Being on a team really teaches you how to talk to someone, and being a captain, it teaches you how to talk to different people. The way you talk to one person, another person might not accept it.”

Alvarez’s softball teammates praised her effort on the team. Co-Captain Hana Beauregard ’26, “played against her growing up, in Little League and for youth club teams… [she] brings an unmatched energy and enthusiasm to every game and practice. She is incredibly passionate about Hopkins softball, and it shows both on and off the field. You can always hear [her] voice, whether cheering on her teammates from the dugout, or directing players in the field.” Coach Angelina Massoia stated that “Alvarez has been a starter and impact player on the softball team since she was in 7th grade. She has always brought competitiveness, accountability, and drive to the program. She makes an effort to get to know each one of her teammates, especially the ones who are younger, brand new to the team, and/or brand new to softball.” Willa Kennedy ’29 echoed this: “Her ability to lift the mood wherever she goes is something that I aspire to be able to do as well.” Maeve Phipps ‘27 recalls that Alvarez “helped me to come out of my shell more and gain more confidence when leading my teammates.”

As Alvarez prepares to say goodbye to Hopkins, she is “so excited that [she] gets to keep on playing competitive softball as [she] moves on in life.” The community that she has become part of will be sad to see her go, but “[she] gets to keep doing what [she] loves.”