Student Athlete of the Week Sarah Bitterman

Now entering her senior season, Sarah Bitterman is working once again to prove both to herself and to her Niwot High School softball coaches that she can contribute at the varsity level.

Bitterman was used sparingly as a pinch hitter last season but made the most of her limited opportunities, going 4-for-11 at the plate with three RBIs. She is now using her final high school summer to sharpen her swing while also becoming a more solid defender.

"I like to hit a lot, so I've been trying to strengthen that part," Bitterman said. "It's the little mechanical stuff with fielding. It's a lot of the little stuff that I need to work on."

Bitterman hopes to help the Cougars' head coach Bobby Matthews this fall as a utility glove who specializes in the corner infield positions and at catcher.

Due to an influx of rain, this summer hasn't exactly been kind to Bitterman and other outdoor athletes across the Front Range. Several of Niwot's workouts have been canceled and the rising senior said with a part-time job also in the mix, it hasn't been easy to find time for softball.

Additionally, Bitterman has been battling the mental aspect of reaching her full potential on the diamond.

"I've been working real hard to show Bobby that I can play, but it's a lot," Bitterman said. "I know he wants me to push a lot harder."

If Bitterman can find success, the veteran Cougars would be that much more dangerous in 2023. Niwot, which finished 9-14 last season, has a large number of upperclassmen returning with considerable varsity experience, including seniors Anne Booth, Autumn Rutherford, Jenna Hobson, Zoe Cameron and junior Saleen Amaya. The key for Niwot, though, is to play better as a cohesive unit, Bitterman believes.

"We all have our individual talents, but it doesn't really do much if we're not working together," she said.

Academically, Bitterman is on track to graduate at semester's end and would like to take a gap year before going down her next path in life, which could feature her budding interest in animal sciences.

But with her senior year on deck, Bitterman's more immediate focus is to relish her final days playing high school softball.

"I mainly want to have fun and enjoy the one sport that I have stuck with the longest," she said. "I'd like to see some outcome with it, but if it doesn't come, I know I at least had fun doing something that I like to do."