Softball siblings are family on and off the field

After playing together throughout their childhood, sisters Rani and Simi Lauwers are set to begin their first season as Panther softball teammates. Photos courtesy of Rani Lauwers

Through continuous team bonding and conditioning sessions, shared meals, practices and even living together, teammates at college sports programs can develop a near-familial bond. Chapman softball, for one, is a team that’s been close-knit in recent years. Sisters Rani Lauwers and Simi Lauwers, members of the softball team, take that familiarity to a whole new level. 

After playing together on their high school team at Mountain View High School and the Northern California-based travel team the Firecrackers, the two Lauwers have become accustomed to cheering for one another as teammates. Rani is two years older than Simi, and the elder, a junior mathematics major, is looking forward to playing with her younger freshman sister again at Chapman. 

“I’ve always had a good time playing with her and being on the same team,” Rani said. “It’s a little added bonus to have someone that shares the same wavelength and connection going on.”

Simi didn’t just commit to Chapman because her sister was on the softball team. Rather, she was drawn to the program for its emphasis on coaching, academics and team dynamic, she said. 

“I was able to visit the school, attend a class and meet a few of the players,” Simi said of her initial visit to Chapman. “I really just liked the campus, the class I went to, the teachers and Coach Janet (Lloyd) was really nice as well. I knew that this environment was somewhere I would be safe and have a good time.”

However, Simi is certainly excited to play with her sister. By playing complementing positions — Simi as a pitcher and Rani as a catcher — the two were able to build a strong thrower-receiver connection as a battery growing up. 

“Given the positions that we play, being sisters really elevates that connection,” Rani said. “A lot of the times we know what the other person is thinking before they even say anything and that really helps streamline the process of softball.”

During the pandemic, that connection was only emphasized in a remote format, as the two were able to practice together due to being members of the same household. The two went to local softball fields to hone their individual crafts while also continuing to build a connection as a duo. 

Sisters Rani and Simi Lauwers practice their thrower-receiver performance together as a battery.

“It was just good to have somebody to practice with,” Simi said. “For some of the girls, I know it was a little bit harder to get out there because they don’t have someone to throw with ... We both had the chance to work on our skills before returning.”

However, on the field, the Lauwers like to see themselves as teammates first rather than sisters. With that mentality, they’re able to create similar dynamics with other players, not disconnecting themselves from the rest of the team. 

“You’re all pushing towards the same common goal,” Rani said. “There’s a teammate dynamic that comes in because you need to know that you have each other’s back the same way you would for any teammate and know that they’re going to work for you just like you’re going to work for them.” 

Ultimately, the shared passion Simi and Rani both have for softball has allowed them to develop a stronger relationship, and they look to continue to develop that over the two seasons they’ll share together.

“I’m super excited about it, because obviously being sisters, we know how each other play so it’s great to have somebody who understands how I throw,” Simi said. “We’ve played together before and I think it’ll be just as fun as it was then.”