After Juanita head softball coach Traci Odegard finished praising senior Sasha Mitchell for her leadership, solid play on the diamond and more, the two Rebels embraced and the crowd cheered.

That was the celebratory scene on Feb. 19 in Odegard’s packed portable classroom — filled with family, friends and teammates — as Mitchell signed her national letter of intent to attend Central Washington University on a full scholarship.

Softball season is approaching, but Mitchell presently has basketball on her mind as the Rebels are playing in the 3A Sea-King District Tournament with a regionals spot already secured. Odegard said that practices begin on March 2. Mitchell might be a little late in getting into softball mode.

“I’m just super excited for what we have coming and how we’re at regionals now,” Mitchell told the Reporter after the softball signing.

She noted that teamwork and competitiveness are big parts of both sports and she unleashes maximum effort each time out, whether it’s playing shortstop or guard.

Mitchell loved the community when she visited CWU in Ellensburg.

“The team and the people there were so nice and so welcoming, it felt like home. I’m most excited about getting back on the field and I’m excited to be a Wildcat and just experiencing Central,” she said.

As part of Odegard’s squad the last three years, Mitchell learned how to work well with her teammates and “how to play the sport at a higher level than I did before, which will help me continue my softball journey.”

During Juanita’s three state appearances with Mitchell on board, the Rebel enjoyed playing top-level ball in high-pressure situations. Mitchell feels those experiences will help her along the way at Central when big games are on the line.