RIMERSBURG — The sounds of softballs smacking against gloves and the ting of a ball hitting aluminum bat echo throughout the Union High School auxiliary gym.

While the weather outside isn't conducive to practicing the sport, the 14 members of the first-year Damsels' softball program get their work in the best they can.

It's a grind indoors, but for them just having a team is a triumph.

“I'm absolutely stoked,” said sophomore Sierra Salvo. “We didn't have a team my ninth-grade year, sadly. I still have three years, so I'm super excited.”

For nearly a decade there's been a movement at the small Clarion County school for the administration to start a varsity softball program.

But it never took root.

Until now.

“We all signed a petition,” said senior Frankee Remmick. “There were something like 40 girls who signed it.”

Not bad for a school that has only 49 girls enrolled.

Now the challenge is fielding a competitive team in its first season.

That's no easy task.

Coach Ray Ishman would know.

In 1995, he started the softball program at Redbank Valley.

Now he's at it again at Union in a district where he was a teacher for 15 years until his retirement.

“Starting from scratch, you get a mixture of kids who have played and you also get a mixture of kids who haven't played and have different skill levels,” Ishman said. “The advantage is everyone we have is very coachable.”

Ishman said he learned one valuable lesson from his experience launching the Redbank Valley program.

“Be patient,” he said, smiling.

Union's goals this season are understandably modest.

“Basically, if you can improve every day and eliminate mistakes, that's probably our goal,” Ishman said. “You'd like to win all 16 games you play, but realistically you can't. The league is probably as strong as it's ever been.

“Everyone wants to win,” Ishman added. “But with a new program, you just have to hope the girls come out and try their best and will win some games.”

Union may not be all that far away from some victories — if they can get on a softball field.

The one thing the Damsels have is pitching, led by Salvo.

Remmick and freshman Morgan Cumberland, a left-hander, are also quality pitchers.

The roster is also dotted with players who have a wealth of travel-team experience.

“We kind of have a head start because a lot of us have played together before in summer ball,” Salvo said. “I think we've come a long way from open gyms until now.”

Cumberland is also a seasoned summer-league player and as a freshman, she gets to dive right in.

“I've been playing for four years,” she said. “I was happy we finally got to have a team so I could keep playing. I think we're all going to be nervous, but we're all going to be excited, too.”

Union will play their home games at a softball field at the elementary school.

The Damsels' first scheduled game was Monday against Moniteau, but was postponed because of poor field conditions.

While Salvo and Cumberland have played softball recently, Remmick has not.

Remmick, a standout volleyball and basketball player in the fall and winter, will be participating in two sports this spring now: track and field and softball.

She wouldn't have it any other way.

“I played softball when I was younger and I liked it, but I never got the chance to keep playing until now,” she said. “I played from third to seventh grade. I'm glad they did it because I get to do it my senior year and the others get to do it for the rest of their years, too.”

Remmick is one of four seniors on the roster.

She scurries from track practice to softball practice each day.

“It's kind of hard, but it's manageable,” Remmick said.

No one knows for sure where they will be playing — that is still up in the air.

Every practice is a mini tryout for this group.

And it's a tight group because of their circumstance.

“We are a little closer, yeah, because this is the first team,” Salvo said. “We spend a lot of time together.”

The reaction when they found out Union was going to have a softball team was unlike anything Salvo has experienced athletically, she said.

“I was absolutely giddy,” she said, smile beaming. “I was super-excited. I was so happy. I was high-fiving everyone when we found out.”