Kendall Holloway embracing new role on Chatfield softball team

LITTLETON — Kendall Holloway’s senior season on the softball diamond ended before it even got started.

Holloway was an integral part of Chatfield’s run to the Class 5A state championship a season ago. As a junior, she was second on the team in batting average (.479) and hits (45). Along with a solid season in the pitching circle with a 9-3 record and 3.64 ERA while splitting time on the mound with Karlie Cooledge, who is now playing for Colorado State University.

Everything seems aligned for Holloway to lead the way in the Chargers’ quest for a state championship repeat. However, she tore her right ACL jumping for a ball in left field in May playing in a club softball game.

“I just feel so bad for her,” said Chatfield coach Darin Shepard, who was actually on his way to watch Holloway play the day she suffered the devastating injury. “She had so many things in front of her, a lot bigger than softball. This put a damper on her plans moving forward, but she is a tough kid. She will recover from this.”

Surgery back in June officially ended her Fall 2024 season the field for Chatfield.

“Honestly, initially I was crushed,” Holloway said about missing her entire senior season. “It messed up recruiting for college and my summer going into my senior year with softball. It was sad and heartbreaking.”

Holloway said she should be fully rehabbed by March 2025. Unfortunately, she has experience going through ACL surgery. She tore her left ACL in a JV basketball game her freshmen season at Chatfield.

The injury cost Holloway nearly her entire sophomore season on the softball field. She played in the final six games.

“It was certainly a really big loss for us,” Chatfield senior Kendall Davros said of Holloway being out for the season. “The only thing we could really do was rally around her. Our senior class is really tight-knit. There is a lot of us. We wanted to make sure she (Holloway) is still valued just as much when she wasn’t injured. Her contributions to this team goes well beyond between the lines.”

Holloway has been impressive off the field. She holds a 4.38 weighted GPA, along with being Chatfield Senior High School’s Student Body President this school year.

Despite the tough injury breaks for the last year’s all-state and Jeffco all conference first-time selection, Holloway is still upbeat and positive about her new role mentoring the young pitchers who are filling her shoes and being with her fellow nine seniors attempting to win back-to-back state titles.

“It’s tough losing half of my high school years,” Holloway said about missing most of her sophomore and now senior seasons due to injury. “But I’ve been involved with the program. So it doesn’t feel like I’ve lost two years of softball. It has been great hanging around the girls and has been good for my emotional state as well.”

Holloway is not sure what her college path will be. She is looking into the military academies. Army West Point is the only military academy that has a Division I softball program.

“I am just keeping my options open with softball,” Holloway said. “Kind of seeking out the bigger world and picture of life.”

Holloway has the versatility to be a position player or pitcher at the college level. It’s just the matter of a softball program giving Holloway a shot.

“I’m willing to pitch again, but I think I can make it to that (college) level with my fielding skills and hitting,” Holloway said. “I’ve always had a love for pitching. I love hitting too. I’ll play wherever they want me.”

While Holloway won’t be able to take the field this season for the Chargers, her importance to the softball program can’t always be measured in batting average or ERA.

“I’ve been trying to let her (Holloway) take things at her own pace,” Shepard said. “It was very hard for her even to want to be around softball at first. I want to keep her involved mentally and for her to be the mentor for our five young pitchers. She has been there and done that.”