Warden's Allycia Gonzales inks with Wenatchee Valley

WARDEN — Surrounded family, friends and coaches, Allycia Gonzales made the next step in her athletic career official Wednesday.

Space was limited in the foyer of Warden High School’s gym as upward of 30 people crammed in to witness Gonzales sign her letter of intent to play softball for Wenatchee Valley.

“I didn’t think I was going to have this many people as I do today and I guess it just really proves to me that I have a lot of people that actually do care about me and will continue to watch me when I go to Wenatchee,” she said. “It means a lot to me for them all to be here.”

Before Gonzales put pen to paper, those in attendance shared words of encouragement.

Dan Caballero, who is Gonzales’ basketball coach and mentor, gave insight into the quality of student-athlete she is.

“Honor to be here and it’s nice to see a young person’s dream achieved,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of great student-athletes come out of Warden and you’re definitely one of them.”

Head softball coach Wes Richins lightened the emotional evening with some dry humor, saying that Gonzales has one more softball season with the Cougars left and that she’s not leaving tomorrow. However, Richins lamented the eventual departure of his second baseman.

“I’m still in denial about that,” he said.

Richins went on to refer to Gonzales as a “coach’s dream.”

Eventually, Gonzales signed the necessary paperwork and tried on her brand new, white Wenatchee Valley hat.

“It was scary, it was really scary,” she said. “Next step. I get to live without my mom and probably get a job. But it’s good. The nerves are gone now.”

Gonzales was drawn to the program by one of her good friends, Iris Rodriguez. Rodriguez was a utility player for the Knights for the last two seasons and offered words of wisdom about the program head coach Shelley Pflugrath runs.

“The words that she (Rodriguez) would say about coach Pflugrath, it made me be like, ‘Oh, I want to meet her. I want to play for her,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales joins a WVC team that finished second in the NWAC East with a record of 34-14.