Softball season may not start until the spring, but local player Kendall Veach is one of many who are already preparing for another year on the field.

Veach, who is entering her sophomore year at Morgan Academy, played on the 16-and-under travel ball team Alabama Elite over the summer.

Based in Montgomery, the team includes players from Prattville, Stanhope Elmore High School, and Lowndes, Wilcox and Edgewood academies among other schools and towns in the surrounding area.

Veach had a .391 batting average and two home runs, and plays shortstop and catcher for the team, which played in tournaments in Orlando, Jacksonville, Fla., Atlanta, Dothan, Auburn and Tuscaloosa over the summer.

Veach said the travel team enables her to stay active and improve during the offseason.

“Playing it really helps me focus more on softball and not just sit around waiting for school ball to come around, and I just get to play as much as I can,” Veach said. “All of my coaches have helped me improve. They’ve taught me so many things.”

Veach said she works hard to help her team improve when playing at Morgan and has a goal of one day playing college softball.

She said she loves the game and will have to work hard and rely on faith to be able to achieve her dream.

“I just love playing it. There’s no real particular reason,” Veach said. “I just enjoy doing it and I just enjoy practicing, and I enjoy getting better. My dream is to play college softball. I’ll really have to focus hard, practice and do all I can to improve. I’ll have to keep playing and have a good mental part of my game and not just all physical. And I’ll just pray to God that he’ll be there for me.”