Seniors (left to right): Adalyn Gauck, Dela- ney Eickert, Taylor Puck, and Maddy Shannon.
ality. At first, it’s a motivation tool to learn how to be com- mitted, but then as you reach a regional final, then all of a sud- den you can almost taste it. “To go where no (Gilbert team) has gone before, that would be super cool.”
The Tigers have made strides in each of their three seasons in the league, that’s backed up by the numbers. After winning four league games in 2021 and 2022, Sniezek’s club increased that total to six wins in 2023, in- cluding a program-defining 7-6 win over eventual state cham- pion Winterset. The Tigers
reached the 4A regional final round and pushed North Polk to the brink before eventually fall- ing, 10-5. “Last year, there only two teams in the conference we did- n’t beat and that was Carlisle and North Polk,” Sniezek said. “You have to start with mini-
goals and break it into smaller chunks. But you can dream big, you can take that risk. As pain- ful as it might be when it’s over, at least you pushed yourself.” Gilbert’s year-by-year im- provement might not be glar- ingly noticeable when you look at the conference standings.
20 GAME ON | SUMMER 2024
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