Ed Note: This continues the summer feature series looking at returning Bethel athletes for next season.

For Morgan Reittinger, her summer will not be all about shopping, hitting the pool, and sleeping until noon every day. The two-sport athlete has bigger goals that she wants to accomplish, and it all starts now as she is focused on making her upcoming season the best one yet.

During the fall, Reittinger is part of the Bethel Bees soccer team, who traditionally competes near the top of the Cross County Conference. Once the spring hits, she has her focus on the Bees softball program, with the intent of turning things around and making the Bees solid contenders in the CCC.

“Softball would have to be my favorite sport,” she responded when asked which sport it her favorite. “I have started since I was a freshman. The most exciting part was winning Bethels first tournament game against Springfield Catholic last year.” Reittinger has lettered in softball ever since her freshman season, however in soccer, she could not letter as a freshman due to a knee injury early in the season, but she has grown up playing both sports.

“My influences would definitely be my dad Jamie and uncle Jeremy always pushed me to do my best,” she said. “My dad has always coached me when I was little. I have played soccer ever since I could walk, and my dad has also coached me. Sports are a main priority to me.”

While she is a talented athlete, she relied on some of the early days to mold herself into the athlete is today.

“For soccer I have played for the Warriors Select Club for 8 years in the spring and indoor with the same team as well in the winter (she plays year around),” she said. “Also in softball I do lifting and conditioning and hitting sessions during the winter with my teammates and my cousin, Olivia who will be a freshman on the softball team this upcoming season.”

“In softball you can’t hit or throw enough. Same with soccer you can’t kick or shoot enough. You can’t practice enough. As being a catcher I work on throwing the ball harder. Soccer is mainly conditioning. Showing the underclass men how everything works and support them and motivate them throughout the season.”

“In soccer we as a team want to win the CCC we were close last year but close isn’t good enough,” Reittinger said. “I will more than likely be playing midfield and I’m hoping to lead my team and score more goals.

“For softball we want to win more games than we did the year before. Win more CCC games. I personally want to hit over a .400 this year with a couple home runs. I look to lead the team in RBI.”

With her best season ahead of her, right now college are far from her mind.

“Other than recreational sports I do not plan on playing after high school,” she said. “I plan on focusing on college and my outside life outside of sports since I’ve been doing it since I was four.”

Reittinger is also a HOSA voting delegate for Miami Valley Career Technology Center, along with coaching the Junior Warriors and BAYSA kids for soccer. She intends on majoring in nursing at the University of Cincinnati.

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