Becca Varhula might be the most popular athlete at George Washington High School.
And she doesn’t even go there.
Varhula is a senior at School Lane Charter, but because the school doesn’t offer sports, she’s eligible to play for Washington, the closest school to her home.
And boy did they luck out that she lives in the Far Northeast.
For the past four years, the Eagles have boasted one of the best pitchers in the Public League in Varhula, who has been in the circle for Washington since she arrived in high school.
She came in knowing nobody. It didn’t take long before she was helping everyone.
“Because I came from a different school, I remember my first time going to Washington practice, they were so welcoming,” Varhula said. “Once I got to know the girls, I saw they all had a great work ethic. I wanted to show them how to do some things, and they’d listen to me. They would all practice and strive to be better.
“I worked with all of them. And to see how much they have improved, that’s really special to me. I helped them, but they worked so hard to get there. They all worked so hard to become good players.”
They definitely put in the work.
But they had the perfect teammate to learn from.
Varhula came into high school a three-sport star. She played volleyball and basketball before giving up her fall and winter sport to focus on softball. It was a smart decision.
Not only will she continue her softball career beyond high school, she has turned herself into one of the best softball players in the area, and behind her strong arm (and bat), the Eagles are 9-3 and right up there with some of the Public League softball powerhouses.
“I remember when I first got to high school, there were teams like Franklin Towne and Central, they had great players and great pitchers,” Varhula said. “I wanted to hold my own against the top teams and I really wanted us to be ready to play against those top teams.”
She has helped the Eagles more than hold their own. In fact, this year she guided Washington to a victory over Central, which is once again one of the top teams in the Public League.
And while the Eagles are racking up the wins, Varhula is piling up the strikeouts.
She has whiffed 179 batters thus far this year, and has 579 career strikeouts after picking up 400 during her first three years.
Just about every time she’s in the circle, she puts Washington in position to win, and she’s turned the Eagles into contenders in the Public League.
It says a lot about her teammates, many who are new to the game.
“The best part is seeing all of the other players get better,” Varhula said. “Because most of the girls never played softball before. They didn’t know what they were doing when they first tried out, and now they’re making contact against the best pitchers, they’re fielding everything hit to them, catching fly balls, we all found our spot, everyone has worked hard and enabled us to get there.”
And that raises expectations.
Instead of being a great player on a bad team, Varhula is now a great player on a great team. And she takes far more pride in the improvement of her teammates than she does her own accomplishments.
That’s probably why she’s been a three-year captain, and the perfect role model for the novice players to learn from.
Now, she expects a lot.
“My goal this year is a championship,” Varhula said. “I feel like since I’ve seen all of them grow, we have a chance this year. Sometimes it’s tough, but we just beat Central for the first time in my four years. Last year we lost 15-0. This year we beat them 5-3 in the eighth inning. I feel like that should give us the confidence the team needs, we can be with the top teams.”
She still has a lot she wants to accomplish in high school, but she’s already set for her future.
Next year she’ll continue her softball career at Bloomsburg.
“I went to a couple different schools, but Bloomsburg was the only one that was like, ‘WOW!’ ” Varhula said. “The coaches were welcoming, the school was beautiful, the team was welcoming, it was really just a great fit. During my tournaments, (Bloomsburg coach Susan Kocher) came to my tournament and talked to my coach. She called me for a visit and we talked. Then she offered me a spot on the team. It meant a lot. She’s been so helpful through the whole college experience. With the whole transition process. She went out of her way to help me.
“For a major, I’m going to do nursing. I’ve been surrounded by healthcare workers my whole life. My dad works in the IT department at CHOP, my mom was a surgical assistant and now helps with transportation of patients. I’ve been surrounded by it and I know how important it is. And I want to help people. That’s my main goal.”
She has a fantastic future ahead, but she’s thankful for her days as an Eagle.
“Washington softball really means a lot to me,” she said. “I was worried at first that I wouldn’t feel welcomed because I don’t go there. They never made me feel like that in any sports I played. I played volleyball and basketball, too. Softball, everyone cheered me on and they didn’t even know me. The whole atmosphere, Washington is so welcoming. They cheer for everyone, no matter what.
“I had great coaches and teammates. It means a lot to me. I’m very proud of what we did and we still have a lot to do.”
