However, head coach Tim Anderson continues to have high hopes and expectations for the league season, which will start next week.

“I always start my expectations high,” Anderson said.

Anderson said that what he looks for in a successful season is daily improvement. His goal is for the team to enter into the Central Coast Section playoffs like last year and to compete with the best teams in the section.

Coming into the season, the softball team lost many valuable players including Kristen Dauler, Lauren Bucolo and Caroline Mcdonnell, while welcoming many new members.

“We have a lot of new players on the varsity team and we lost a lot of our power hitters,” said junior Caitlin Tirador, who, due to elbow surgery, is currently only running bases in place of other injured players.

According to Anderson, the biggest factor in the success of the season is the team’s pitching. After graduating pitcher Kelly Jenks, who is now playing soccer at Santa Clara University, two new freshmen Julia Saul and Hannah Bundy will split time on the mound.

“The success of pitching will have a lot to do with the success of our team,” Anderson said.

Along with many new players, the team also welcomes a brand new home softball field. As the Vikings come out to practice every day, they now take pride in one of the best softball fields in the De Anza division, according to Anderson.

Anderson described the field renovation as one from a sub-par baseball field to a closed-off softball park.

“We probably went from the worst field in the league to the best,” Anderson said.

The Vikings placed sixth in the league last year with a record of six wins and six loses. The team’s first league game will be a home game against Los Gatos High School at 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 17.