With a ‘goldfish mentality,’ Brewer softball is making history for its community
White Settlement Brewer softball coach Josh Richards likes to tell his team to have a goldfish mentality.
Popularized in the hit Apple TV series Ted Lasso, it means to let go of mistakes, bad plays, losses or any disappointment. And although the team draws inspiration from Lasso’s fictional world, they’ve used it to make program history in a reality.
On Wednesday at 7 p.m., Brewer players will take the field in game one of a UIL Class 5A Division II state semifinal series against Hallsville (30-7-1) at Athens High School. It’ll be the first time Brewer High School and White Settlement ISD are represented in the softball state semifinals.
“It’s incredible,” Richards said. “It’s not just about this generation of Brewer Bears. It’s the girls who have set the foundation before this. And then the ones coming up — it’s just continuing to grow the tradition that we’ve always had, but to a new level. And it’s exciting for everybody.”
While also representing the district, Brewer has a chance to be the first high school within Fort Worth city limits to advance to a state title game. Fort Worth Arlington Heights and Fort Worth Paschal made the state semifinals in 2018 and 2004, respectively, but did not advance.
“Somebody always has to be the first,” Richards said. “Somebody has to blaze the trail. I know softball on the west side of town — it’s been fantastic for years. It’s an honor that we get to represent this year.”
Brewer’s run to this point was far from easy.
In game three of the regional finals, the Bears (25-9) trailed Wylie 6-5 in the third inning, and the Pirates had five runs in one frame. But while facing elimination, they shook it off and retaliated with dangerous power hitting, something they’ve flashed a lot of this postseason; the team had five home runs in game three, extending the season total to 49.
“It’s years in the weight room,” Richard said of the power. “It’s been a standard that we set seven or eight years ago — we’re going to lift, we’re going to build strength, and we’re going to build athleticism. And we convert that and make it play into our swings.
“And the girls buy into that everyday. It becomes the norm here. We’re going to hit the ball hard, and we’re going to do damage. And when we don’t, we’re still going to play small ball and run the bases hard.”
Brewer’s offense is well-rounded with six athletes batting over .370 on the season: Freshman Ava Pena (.510), sophomore Cozette “Cozy” Tyson (.488), junior Haylie Jiminez (.455), sophomore Avery Welch (.430), senior Samantha Aguirre (.416) and senior Kamren Pride (.371).
The team is relatively young, but the underclassmen are contributing like veterans. Pena, Tyson, Welch have combined for 113 of the teams’ 288 RBIs. The Bears will need the offense to continue rolling, especially against a talented Hallsville program looking to make consecutive state championship appearances.
And they’ll also rely on that goldfish mentality.
“If something great happens, goldfish that,” Richards said. “Get back to center. Focus. Execute. Next pitch. If something doesn’t go our way, or we make an error — memory of a goldfish. Thirty seconds, move on and just get back to playing our brand of softball.”
What this season means to the players
The Brewer softball players aren’t taking the rarity of the moment for granted, and said they want to wear the Brewer logo with pride somewhere its never been.
“It means a lot,” said Tyson, who recovered from a UCL tear ahead of the season. “It helps us be kinda like a role model to a lot of younger kids out there that want to play.”
Not too long ago, Tyson used to be one of those kids looking up to the varsity athletes. Jiminez said many softball players within White Settlement ISD have been dreaming of these opportunities for most of their lives.
“A lot of girls have practiced since they were young to be in this position,” Jiminez said. “We’re representing more than just Brewer. We’re representing White Settlement.”
Jiminez said the team worked hard for the progress and showed dedication through 7 a.m. workouts, after-school training, offseason training, and even private lessons outside of normal team activities. Through a shared journey and goals, she said the team built camaraderie and unity.
“We’re more than just a team — we’re a family,” Jiminez said. “We have really, really tight connections. I’ve known these girls since they were eight. We’ve grown up together. And that’s what makes us play [well together].”
Now, they’re fighting to keep that family together one more week. For the seniors, their last high school memories will be playing softball, as Brewer’s graduation is on Thursday. After Wednesday’s game one, game two and game three, if necessary, are slated for Saturday.
“Just keep doing what we’re doing right now,” Tyson said. “Just continue to stay focused. Stay dialed in. Don’t let up, not even for a moment. Because that moment that you let up, the other team will come back to bite you. And that really hasn’t happened so far. We’ve stayed pedal to the medal.”
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