Senior Spotlight: Painful exit from the family business for Alderson at Chartiers-Houston

By: Don Rebel
Monday, April 27, 2020 | 7:15 PM

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Editor’s note: Each day, Trib HSSN will spotlight a WPIAL spring athlete whose senior year has been cut short by the coronavirus pandemic.

Since she was born, Kaci Alderson had spent a good amount of time every spring at Allison Elementary School Field, home of the Chartiers-Houston Buccaneers.

Until this spring.

The worldwide pandemic closed all schools in Pennsylvania, which was followed by the PIAA canceling all spring high school sports.

It ended the career of one of the most successful players on one of the most successful programs in WPIAL softball.

Alderson has spent her entire life around the program since her mother Tricia is the longtime head coach and her father Dan is an assistant coach.

“It was a fun ride,” Kaci Alderson said of her family business. “Sometimes we would get on each other’s nerves, but at the end of the day, it was everything that I could have asked for. Both of my parents have coached me since the beginning, and we shared so many great memories throughout my three years of high school that I wouldn’t trade for the world.

“It’s crazy to think that the journey has come to an end, but they have provided me with the groundwork to go out and be successful in whatever I do.”

As a junior last season, Alderson batted .548 with two home runs and 34 RBIs. She ended up in three years at Chartiers-Houston batting .567 with 15 home runs and 103 RBIs and had become one of the top defensive shortstops in the state.

Alderson now prepares for the next chapter in her life as she heads north to continue her schooling and softball career at Mercyhurst.

When did it really hit you that your Buccaneers career is over?

Honestly, I’m not really sure it has hit me yet. I just feel like I’m in a terrible dystopian movie. After the statement was put out by the PIAA regarding our spring season being canceled, it was extremely tough to try and comprehend that I wouldn’t set foot on our field in the maroon and gold again. The first few days after the announcement were awful, especially because I learned I would not be going back to school as well. I have a calendar in my room that I X off after the end of each day, and crossing out the dates with the games marked on them has been so difficult. Fortunately, I have been getting better every day, and I know I have it so much better than many people in the world. Pennsylvania high school sports are secondary in all of this and I understand that.

What have you been doing to stay in shape?

I have been doing tons of drill work in my driveway. I hit off of the tee and do soft toss with my dad and then we field in the street. Occasionally, I’ll run on the elliptical or go for a walk.

Do you miss going to school?

I miss going to school so much. I’ve always loved school and interacting with my teachers and peers, and not having that daily interaction is strange and upsetting at times. This whole situation has made me feel like I took everything for granted. Even the things that I hated the most about school make me feel nostalgic. Knowing I won’t walk those hallways again and experience high school anymore doesn’t sit well. I made so many memories inside that building and I feel like I’ve been robbed of making some of my greatest ones.

Has it been tough to focus on schoolwork at home or is it easier?

It’s been about the same. In school, we typically did stuff on a day-to-day basis, but online, I know what I’m doing on a weekly basis. With knowing my work beforehand, I feel like I’ve been getting everything done faster. The downside of online schooling is the fact that I’m not really on a schedule. I wake up before 10 a.m. every morning and sign in, and then I go back to sleep and start my work whenever I wake up. It’s made for pretty terrible sleeping habits, but overall, I have been getting my work done at a fast pace.

With all the things that go on for graduating seniors in the final three months of high school, what has been the most painful to miss out on outside of softball?

Our school has so many activities for seniors at the end of the year that I have been looking forward to since I was a freshman. On the last week, we have an ice cream bar, a breakfast, senior send-off, senior video, a picnic, and we walk through the elementary school, but the moment I was looking forward to the most was the last day. For three years, I watched the seniors go around and say goodbye to teachers and underclassmen and do everything for the last time, but I won’t have that luxury. I’m the type of person that needs closure, and unfortunately, I won’t be able to get the closure I need.

We’ll never know, but how good do you think the Bucs would have been this spring after another successful season last year?

We would have been a scary team that surprised so many people. I know the general consensus this offseason was to count us out because we lost four senior starters, but I personally thought we looked better than ever .(No offense at all to the graduated seniors.) Everyone was hungry to prove something this year, and I just wish we could’ve gone out there and competed. I know for me personally, three years of heartbreak by getting so close to championships but coming up short was extra motivation, so I’m pretty disappointed that I couldn’t go out there and show how much better I became this offseason. My swing felt the best it had ever felt, and I know that my team and I would have wreaked some havoc on the field.

What are the strengths of your game and what do you have to work on?

This may surprise some people, but I would probably choose defense as my strong suit because it is the aspect that I have always taken the most pride in. I feel like when people hear my name, they talk about my bat, but I believe that my fielding is even better than my hitting. I’ve always tried to emulate great defensive players, and that is why I believe it is one of my biggest strengths. The aspect of my game that needs the most work is probably my speed. I’m quick, but I am definitely not fast. I would love to become just a little bit faster so I could get more of a competitive edge.

You’ve been around the program your whole life. Why is Chartiers-Houston softball so successful every season?

The softball program has enjoyed success every season because of one thing: commitment. We have taken pride in our commitment to each other, commitment to hard work and commitment to success. When everyone buys into this, we’re tough to beat. Everyone I come across asking this same question is looking for something crazy, but it’s just as simple as buying into a program and having the program buy into you.

What are you most excited about in looking ahead to next year and playing at Mercyhurst?

I’m really excited to get up there and prove myself. My work ethic is something I’ve always taken pride in, and I believe I can go up there and show what I am capable of by working hard every day. I’m also excited to meet all of my new teammates and begin to build bonds with them. This whole transition is going to bring about many emotions, but overall, I’m very excited to get to work.

Tags: Chartiers-Houston