With high aspirations and a softball team loaded with returning starters, the Iola High School Mustangs put their talents to the test during Thursday’s jamboree against Pittsburg and Parsons.
After peaking at the end of 2024 on a multiple-game win streak before a 4-2 postseason loss to Bluestem, the Mustangs look to pick up where they left off and Iola coach Chris Weide considers the jamboree a springboard to a successful 2025 campaign.
“This is the first time I’ve had this much talent in my eight years of coaching,” Coach Weide said. “In a normal year, we’ll have four or five girls that are real solid. We’re putting people in places and figuring out who is going to step into a spot. I think this is a special group.”
After finishing in the middle of the pack last season in Pioneer League play, the Mustangs look to finish atop the league standings this season. Although many players previously demonstrated their athletic prowess during the recent winter sports season with state qualifications and strong postseason runs, Weide believes softball is their first love.
“It’s been a really positive experience so far. The girls are excited,” Weide said. “Some of the girls are three-sport athletes, but for a lot of them their first love is softball.”
Although loaded with experience, Weide said one aspect he’s loved about the preseason is watching his older athletes prepare the next generation of Mustangs. By teaching their underclassmen, it allows coaches to focus on more important, strategic aspects of the game. It also demonstrates the upperclassmen’s confidence in their own abilities because the underclassmen they are teaching are also gunning for playing time. 
“We’ve got nine seniors in the group, and seven of those started last year. We’ve already seen the leadership qualities come out of them,” Weide said. “We also have eight freshmen coming in, which is a really good group. There is some talent there, and a couple of girls who might push for some varsity playing time. Even though we have all of the starters back, we have enough girls coming up who know they have to work every day to keep their spot.”
