In the world of sports, the relationship between a pitcher and catcher covers more than the distance between the pitcher’s mound and home plate. The link between the two athletes can often mean the difference between winning and losing.
At Brookstone School, Lady Cougars pitcher Helen Snavely, 17, places a lot of trust in her catcher. Their bond is rock solid. That’s because Snavely’s catcher is her younger sister, 15-year-old Katherine Snavely.
Both girls got their start playing ball with coach-pitch and t-ball. They moved up through the levels of play until softball took over the top spot of their list of sports. Helen found such an attraction to softball that she has played some form of softball since grade school. Eventually, she signed on to play travel league fast-pitch softball and later joined the softball program at Brookstone. Even then, Helen continued to play with a travel team and still does. Softball is her passion, and it shows.
The senior has a lengthy list of accomplishments related to her talents as a fast-pitch softball athlete. She missed her freshman year of play for the Lady Cougars due to a painful injury she suffered in tournament play just prior to the beginning of softball season that year.
“I tore the tendon off the bone (of her ring finger) and broke the bone sliding back into first base. I had surgery and rehab from August to about Christmas. It was hard, but I used it to make me work harder to get back in it. My sophomore year, we went to the Elite 8,” she says.
Snavely more than made up for it the next two years. Because of her successful comeback and leadership, Snavely was selected the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer’s 2013 All Bi-City Pitcher of the Year. She was also named All-Region Pitcher of the Year and All West Georgia Pitcher of the Year. The following year, as a junior, Snavely led her team to the Final Four. She once again received numerous awards and recognitions and ended the season with a 7-5 record.
The 5’6” right-handed pitcher started out softball career playing third base. During an all-star game when she was younger, she was given the opportunity to try her hand at pitching. It definitely wasn’t the kind of pitching she does today, nor was it particularly pretty; she describes it as a “tossing thing” motion, but it gave her an idea of what she could do.
Once she developed into a serious pitcher, Snavely encountered a problem that was remedied by her sister taking over the role of becoming her primary catcher.
“Everyone one else was afraid of her. Her breaking pitches hurt their finger, so I was the only person who would catch her,” says Katherine.
Together, the two are quite a force to be reckoned with on a softball field. They work well together and have expanded the bond they shared as sisters to include the one they share as teammates. A pitcher and catcher by definition are completely two different types of athletes with two completely different responsibilities on a field of play. Yet they must work in conjunction with one another in order to be successful.
“I think she (Helen) enjoys being able to work with her sister each day. They definitely push each other to work hard and be their best,” says Brookstone softball coach Nate McConnell.
Now in his third season as head softball coach and fifth year with the Brookstone program, McConnell thinks the senior’s natural talent and strong work ethic are a winning combination.
“Pitching and hitting are her physical strengths. What separates her from other players is the hard work she puts in each day to play this sport at a high level,” McConnell says.
The Snavely sisters have taken the pitcher/catcher relationship to heart. While they are close, both on the field and off, the girls are quick to point out everything isn’t good all the time.
“Oh, we can be competitive. We get mad about things, but we get over it,” says Helen.
When asked if she gets a little tired of hearing the praises of her older sister, Katherine nods her head in agreement.
“That’s all I hear is ‘Helen this’ and ‘Helen that’,” she says with a good-natured smile.
Softball is not the only sport the elder Snavely participates in at Brookstone. She is a multi-sport athlete with basketball on her play list in the winter and track dominating her spring. Snavely is a long jumper and runs the 100-meter, the 200-meter, and first leg of the 4×100 meter event. When she passes off the baton to the second runner in the 4×100 race, she does so to her sister.
All this athletic activity, including travel softball with the Georgia Renegades, leaves Snavely with little free time. She has learned time management is key to maintaining her very active lifestyle and holding up a high academic standard. The senior sports a 3.67 grade point average. Although there has been no decision made about her college plans yet, she has narrowed down her fields of study to either pre-med or veterinary science.
Academics have always been important to the Brookstone student, and she feels her school has prepared her well for the pursuit of a college education. She would like continue to play softball and is confident she could manage both classes and sports at the next level. Offers are on the table, but Snavely hasn’t made up her mind about leaving the area or staying close to home.
When Snavely graduates, she will leave behind her loyal catcher. The sisters know it will be a difficult transition, but Katherine is at least addressing the inevitable separation with humor.
“I may just miss her a little bit,” she says with a laugh.
Columbus Valley/Academic Athlete/October 2015
Helen Snavely
Brookstone School
Columbus, GA
By Beth Welch
Photos by Jerry Christenson
Sister to sister
