×

Girard adds softball to athletic endeavors at ACC

News Photo by James Andersen Alpena Community College sophomore Mollie Girard, seated, recently signed a letter of intent to join ACC’s softball team for the 2021 season. Girard will also return for her sophomore season with ACC’s women’s basketball team after starting more than a dozen games last season. ACC’s basketball teams will begin play when the spring semester starts in January, to deter the spread of COVID-19.

Mollie Girard will be busy this upcoming school year. 

When she’s not busy with her criminal justice studies, the Alpena Community College sophomore will have a full plate when it comes to athletics. She’ll be one of several returners to the ACC women’s basketball program and she recently signed a Letter of Intent to join ACC’s softball program for the 2021 season. 

In joining the softball team, Girard will be reunited with several of her Alpena Mystics travel ball teammates including Aubree Sheldon, Jade Schultz and Dayna LaBell as well as coach Christin Sobeck, who coaches ACC and the Mystics. 

Girard played in the Alpena Thunder Cats travel program growing up and has played in several tournaments this summer, both with the Mystics and as a member of the Thunder Cats high school division team during the Thunderstruck Tournament in Alpena last month. 

As a member of ACC’s women’s basketball program, last year was a bit of an adjustment for Girard. After a standout career for Alpena High School, Girard had to adjust to lengthy road trips, different practice times and more conditioning drills with the Lumberjacks. 

“Just mental toughness (was the biggest adjustment). These are college girls and they’re tougher than high school girls. When they’re trying to get up in your face and trying to distract you from playing your best game, it’s a little hard to stay mentally tough,” Girard said. “I just have to work on that more.” 

Girard became a valuable part of the Lumberjacks’ lineup last season. Despite a 4-22 record, the Lumberjacks remained as competitive as they could when they were bitten by the injury bug over the second half of the season.  

“It just depends on the type of athlete you are really,” Girard said of playing through adversity last season. “If you really love sports, you push yourself and you’ll do what it takes to win the game or play for your teammates.” 

She ultimately appeared in 24 of ACC’s 26 games and started in 16 of them. She finished the season with averages of 6.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. 

“It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot of brand-new things,” Girard said of her freshman season. 

This year, she’ll join a team that includes several recent signees including Wayland Union’s Briana Thurston, Atlanta’s Jordan Kobielus, Charlton Heston’s Morgan Mepham as well as Schultz and Rogers City alums Kyley LaFleche and Linnea Hentkowski. 

Following recommendations from the National Junior College Athletic Association to contain the spread of COVID-19, the Lumberjacks’ basketball season will begin in January, when the spring semester begins.

James Andersen can be reached at 989-358-5694 or sports@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ja_alpenanews

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today