The clock strikes 4:00 p.m. 

The freshly groomed field shines in the sun. Sweat drips down your neck and the heat blisters. That is how you know: it’s game time.

For varsity softball shortstop Sydney Boulaphinh ‘24, it’s also Senior Night, and this will be her second to last game of her last high school season. 

She originally started playing softball at a very young age.

“My brother played baseball and I would always go to his games, but as you get older, girls don’t get to play baseball. They have to join softball,” Boulaphinh said.

Boulaphinh has spent all four of her high school years on the varsity softball team, dedicated to this sport, and now it is time to show her family and all her supporters that the work she has done has finally paid off.

Throughout her 2022-23 season, she missed quite a few games due to all of her college visits which included Ole Miss, Arizona, Alabama, Virginia, and Stanford. But, in the end, it was all worth it after her commitment.

On Oct. 10, 2022, Boulaphinh announced her official commitment to Stanford University after receiving over 20 D1 offers. For Boulaphinh it was a difficult decision, but after she and her family discussed it, they all decided that Stanford was the best fit for her both academically and athletically.

Boulaphinh spends her game days working on homework, or, if she doesn’t have school the day of the game, she will go to the batting cages with her dad or to the gym.

“I live in Parker, so I usually go hit at Chap’s softball cages,” Boulaphinh said.

After the school day ends, that’s when Boulaphinh knows it’s game time. First, she puts on her uniform and get ready in the locker room. Before she goes to the locker room, Boulaphinh sits in her car and does her hair joins her teammates to finish in the locker room. 

“When we get ready we like to make TikToks, tell each other about our day and do each other’s hair,” Boulaphinh said.

Getting ready together helps the team bond and also helps everyone feel comfortable, which means they will play more relaxed and have a successful game, whether it’s home or away.

Boulaphinh prefers away game warmups.

“At away games, we tend to have a more organized warm-up with different stations. This is because of being with more equipment than we need. At home, that equipment sits in the shed,” Boulaphinh said.

The seventh inning ends. The game is now over and it is now time to congratulate each other and go home. But, Boulaphinh’s day isn’t over just yet. 

After games, she goes home, often getting back very late. Boulaphinh will normally spend the rest of her night doing homework or studying for any quizzes the next day due to her busy academic schedule.

Although Boulaphinh is done with the high school season, she trains at least five days a week, with three days of lifting and two days of speed training, with games on the weekends. 

If she isn’t playing, then she will train six days a week and work with her dad. Because Boulaphinh’s club team is a national team, most of her teammates live in different states, so they only play together and don’t practice together.

Boulaphinh will begin playing for Stanford in the fall of 2024.