Payton Gottshall Embraces the AUSL All-Star Cup and Looks to Build Stronger Bonds
A New Chapter Begins in Holly Springs
Now that the inaugural AUSL season has wrapped up, it is time for the original model of Athletes Unlimited Softball to take the stage in the All-Star Cup. Games are set to begin on Saturday in Holly Springs, North Carolina.
Captains are in place and their rosters are set for Series One, as the draft took place earlier this evening. Amanda Lorenz, the 2024 Champion, leads Team Gold. Georgina Corrick is at the helm for Team Purple, Lexi Kilfoyl captains Team Orange, and Aleshia Ocasio leads Team Blue.
You will notice that the captains leaned toward drafting players they were familiar with from the regular season. In my opinion, that’s a smart move. Familiarity and trust go a long way in a short competition like this.
Building New Connections
While some players have kept ties with their regular season teammates, many are excited for the chance to connect with players from different squads. One of those players is pitcher Payton Gottshall.
Gottshall was kind enough to share her perspective with me ahead of the All-Star Cup. She spoke about how the pacing of the Cup is a bit different from the regular season.
“We get a little bit more of a break in between, where we’d typically be traveling in the regular season,” she said.
With that extra time and a larger pool of teammates, Gottshall is embracing the opportunity to deepen connections across the league.
“What I look forward to is getting to know all of the other players and creating relationships with people I’m not as close with or know as well compared to my teammates during season.”
Competition Still Runs Deep
There has been plenty of discussion on how this format would be received after the regular season was such a success. But one thing is clear. These players are still here to compete.
Gottshall doesn’t expect a major drop in intensity.
“I don’t think this will be too different compared to the game style of regular season because we all want to compete and win for our team, but instead of playing for a team championship, we play for individual medals.”
For pitchers especially, returning to familiar catcher pairings could give them a leg up.
“This week, I have Dejah Mulipola as one of our catchers, who was my main catcher during the regular season, so I’ll feel comfortable with her pitch calling style and we’ll be on the same page for a lot of the hitters.”
A Player’s Perspective: Payton Gottshall
There have been many thoughts and opinions surrounding the All-Star Cup and its format. Hearing directly from a player like Payton Gottshall helps shine a light on the upside of this month-long event.
Thank you to Payton for taking the time to speak with me.
The All-Star Cup begins Saturday at Ting Stadium in Holly Springs. Team Ocasio will face Team Kilfoyl at 2:00 PM EDT on ESPN2. Team Lorenz and Team Corrick will square off at 4:30 PM EDT, also on ESPN2. Tickets are still available.
Rosters for all four teams in Series One can be found here.
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