Mooreland High School’s Emma Case
Mooreland senior Emma Case brings a calm confidence to the field that comes from years of repetition, resilience and a genuine love for her teammates. Whether she is in the circle or stretching at first base for a wild throw, the varsity softball standout embraces being a leader who sets the tone.
Case, a senior at Mooreland High School, said athletics have taught her an attitude she will carry long after the last out. “Athletics has taught me to keep going no matter how many trials and errors you have had,” she said. That perseverance shows most when she is pitching, where she understands her body language often mirrors the team’s mindset.
“The hardest part about being a pitcher is not showing emotion when you get down because you are the leader of the field, so if you are down your whole team is,” Case said. At first base, the challenge is more physical than mental. She joked that “the hardest part is trying not to pull a hammy when stretching for wild throws.”
Her pre-at-bat routine highlights the blend of focus and fun that defines her approach. Case said she has done the same thing for as long as she can remember: stand just outside the box, take two signs, then walk in with a deep breath. “When I’m in the box waiting for the pitch to come I tell myself Hakuna Matata then the rest just disappears,” she said.
Case credits Mooreland alum and former college softball player Brooke Terry as one of her biggest inspirations. Terry, who is deaf, returned to Mooreland to teach young athletes how to pitch and sharpen their softball skills, and her example left a lasting impression. Case said Terry’s determination and passion showed her that obstacles can be overcome with hard work.
In the classroom, Case’s favorite subject is math, and she lists Julie Focth and Coach Hoover as her favorite teachers. Away from school and softball, she enjoys shooting shotguns with her dad or working on small crafts.
What she cherishes most, though, is the family feel inside the Mooreland dugout. Case said her teammates can “pick on each other like siblings but also push each other to be better,” and that balance keeps the group close. She points to Avery Schnoebelen as the most vocal voice on the team, and says Schnoebelen, Oliva Clem and Reese Purviance are usually the ones keeping everyone laughing. On most days, the dirtiest uniforms belong to Hannah Clem and Purviance.
“What I love most about my team at Mooreland is that we push each other to our fullest potential and that we can mess around with each other and how no matter what happens we are always a family,” Case said.
