Waukon softball team of 2024 brings back nearly a full team of letterwinning veterans for first-year head coach Dustin Rounds
2024 Waukon softball ... Left to right - Front row: Emily Ronan, Emma O’Neill, Reese McCormick, Mari Delaney; Middle row: Bella Moudy, Elle Wilkins, Brynn Weymiller, Haylee Jeglum, Claire Bloxham, Vayda Schulte; Back row: Annie Ellingson, Isabella Rounds, Kaitlyn Krambeer, Olivia Bossom, Cameron Johnson, Kloe Hemmersbach, Ava Bossom, Lauren Kelly, Danika Reiser. Photo courtesy of Micah Lynn Photography, Micah Miller.
The 2024 Waukon softball team will return enough varsity letterwinning experience from previous seasons to nearly field an entire team, as eight young ladies will return to the field this summer as varsity veterans from a season ago. As it turns out, the newest face on the Waukon softball totem pole this year will come at the top, as Dustin Rounds takes the reins of the Lady Tribe diamond program as head coach.
Although new to the role of head coach, Rounds certainly is no stranger to the Waukon softball program, as he has helped with off-season and other work in a volunteer capacity in recent years. The 1999 Waukon High School graduate and current owner of Rounds Chiropractic has also played a great deal of “ball” in his lifetime, including for the Waukon Indian baseball team during a couple of State Tournament seasons for the diamond Tribe.
“I have been playing ball for as long as I can remember, from playing in my grandma’s yard, to being with the Harpers Ferry youth teams, to being on two State qualifying teams in high school,” Coach Rounds recalled. “I love ball - the snap of the glove, the crack of the bat, the smell of popcorn and the warm sun. I want my girls to learn the love the sport!”
The softball Indians are scheduled to get their 2024 season underway this Thursday, May 23 at Kee in New Albin. They will begin their NEIC schedule the following Thursday, May 30 at home against Decorah before playing in the North Fayette Valley Tournament Saturday, June 1.
