The Sidwell Friends varsity softball team opened the 2026 season with an 11-1 win over Banneker on March 11, beginning a season that includes changes to the program’s coaching staff.
The Quakers added Tara Mason to the staff this season. Mason works at The St. James sports complex in Springfield, Virginia, where she serves as director of lifestyle. A three-sport athlete at Holy Cross High School in Pennsylvania, Mason later played softball at Rowan College at Burlington County. She joins Head Coach James Gould. Senior outfielder Avery Wincup said Mason’s experience will benefit the team.
“She brings a specific skill set, including hitting expertise that is critical to our team’s long-term improvement,” Wincup said.
Mason — alongside Gould — incorporated new hitting drills and warm-ups into everyday practices and game days. In the cages, the coaches focus on specific aspects of players’ swings each day to refine accuracy and promote consistent hitting. The acquisition of a new pitching machine has also helped train players to face the speeds of top pitchers in the area, while also allowing players to focus on different pitches they may face.
With several injuries on the team last year, Gould and Mason have emphasized the importance of activating shoulder and arm muscles during practices. To do this, the team has begun doing band exercises every day to start practice, and lifting in the gym as a team twice a week.
According to Wincup, Gould and Mason have also included routines to boost confidence, as they recognize that softball is largely reliant on mental fortitude beyond physical prowess. Every time a player steps into the cage or before taking the field in a game, Mason guides the team through breathing exercises to help calm nerves ahead of stressful situations. She continually emphasizes the importance of being calm at the plate, an approach that Wincup believes has been helpful to her and her teammates.
Sidwell is looking to build on results from the past two seasons. Two years ago, the Quakers defeated Georgetown Day School in the Independent School League (ISL) championship to win the program’s first Division A title. Sidwell finished that season 15-5 and went 6-0 in conference play.
Last season, the program moved up to the ISL AA Division and finished 4-10, including a 3-4 conference record against stronger competition.
Junior Nina Keefe said the division transition has helped the team improve.
“Being promoted to the AA division has been good for the team, especially since a big part of getting better is to play harder competition,” Keefe said.
Wincup also said the tougher schedule benefits the program, even if it results in more losses.
“It’s harder competition, but the only way we will get better is by playing stronger teams,” she said.
Sidwell enters the 2026 season with much of last year’s roster returning. Only two seniors graduated, leaving many players with significant varsity experience.
Wincup said the team’s goals include improving its regular season record and making runs in the ISL and DCSAA tournaments.
So far, the team has a 2-0 record, having faced Banneker High School and Georgetown Day School on Mar. 11 and 13 respectively. The team defeated Banneker 11-1 and Georgetown Day School 16-4. Wincup is hopeful and confident that the team’s success in these games will be reflected throughout the season.
Wincup also pointed to the team’s April 28 game against Maret as a key matchup. Sidwell has not beaten Maret since 2017 and lost a 13-12 game to the Frogs last season.
The Quakers will look to end that streak when the teams meet later this spring.
