It started from scratch with a winless season two years ago. It grew into a four-win campaign last season. Now, going into year three, the players are more experienced and the goals are a bit loftier as Aberdeen Central heads into the upcoming softball season.

“When we started three years ago, we had to go over every little thing and that’s an awesome feeling to accomplish those things, but being able to start the season and not have to do those little things, and get to those on other little things has been such a good feeling,” said Central coach Cassidy Neer, “and it’s so much fun to see them build year after year. We’re not taking any steps back.”

And for the first time in the short history of the program, the Golden Eagles will feature a blend of experienced veterans and promising youth.

“We have an awesome return of players this year, a really good foundation,” Neer said. “We’ve also been fortunate to even add some younger talent. We have six eighth-graders this year, which is the most we’ve ever had, so we’re super excited to go that way, and see some girls starting to play softball at a young age.”

The Golden Eagles will have a large group returning starters back from last year’s squad, including a pair of veteran pitchers in Kaylee Kiesow and Kylee Hoffman. Other starters include the likes of Avery Bendewald and Rachel Siefken who Neer called “spit fires” that bring juice and energy to the squad.

Other key returning members include Alivia Roettele, Aliyah Torigian, Addison Ward, Addyson Keller, and Jayla Breaw.

As result, Neer said the players are way ahead of the normal pace for this time of the year.

“It took us almost to the end of the year to be where we’re at week two this year,” she said.

Needless to say, expectations are at an all-time high for the Golden Eagles.

“We talk about that often. Expectation year one, we just kind of had to get going. We had to see where the girls were at and meet them where they were at,” Neer said. “Year after year we’ve been able to have higher expectations and get to see the girls rise to the occasion and meet those expectations, and even exceed them.”

Central, which is scheduled to open its season on Tuesday at Pierre, weather permitting, already has a list of goals in mind for this spring.

Neer said the players play a big role in those goals.

“We’re huge goal-setters, especially when it comes to reflection,” Neer said. “It’s really hard to grow without goals, but making goals that are realistic for our team and still challenging us, but being able to track growth and things like that, we take it one game at a time, but each game we’re going to have a focus and what’s realistic for our team and what we want to see our girls accomplish.”

That’s where the players come in. Neer said it is important to have the athletes take ownership of the program.

“Our girls are part of that goal-making. My goals don’t have to be their goals,” Neer said. “We want them to take pride in what our program wants to accomplish, and we tell them all the time, hey this is what you guys want. We’re here to help you achieve that, but these goals have to come from you.”

The Golden Eagles have had the benefit of practicing indoors at the Aberdeen Dome when the weather hasn’t been accommodating.

Neer said the squad is right on track with its goals and ready for the upcoming season.

“Our girls are making the progress that we want to see them make,” Neer said, “and they come ready to go every single day.”