Casey McNulty is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Westwood High School for AZPreps365.com

For Westwood softball senior Tinayah White, her favorite event the Warriors contribute to is the Mesa Marathon. Even though she believes February in Arizona is too hot to run a marathon, she loves watching people participate in the race. 

"I think it's just really cool watching everybody, seeing the different people that run the marathon," White said. "You have people that are grandmas and grandpas, people that are young, like 17, running the marathon, and how it takes a toll on their bodies."

Through helping out with community events like these, the Warriors are volunteering and raising money to grow their softball program.

At Westwood, sports teams are not required to volunteer, but it is strongly encouraged by Athletic Director Brady Pond. In fact, most of Westwood's sports teams help out around their community either by assisting incoming Arizona State University freshmen during move-in day or passing out water and goodie bags at the Mesa Marathon.

"[Volunteering] is also just something I strongly believe in, and so whether it was encouraged by [Pond] or not, it's something that I would want my team to do," Westwood softball head coach Alyssa Dale said.

Dale's motivation behind Westwood softball's community work stems from wanting to spread the word that the Warriors are always willing to help. She contacts organizations, hoping the more the team contributes, the more volunteer opportunities will open up.

"I just want to be visible to the community," Dale said. "I want people to know that Westwood softball is willing to help out if they need us. So to me, it's sort of like the more opportunities or, the more organizations that we volunteer with the more doors there will be for volunteering in the future."

One of the largest events the team participates in is move-in day for ASU's incoming freshmen. While the Warriors' primary goal is to help the freshmen settle into their dorms, this event is the team's biggest fundraiser of the season. Westwood softball earns about one-fourth to one-third of its fundraising through this event, helping fund everything from team warm-up shirts, field maintenance, new equipment and team bonding trips.

In addition to the tangible effects of fundraising from the ASU event, sophomore Sara Campbell enjoys assisting with freshmen move-in because it helps her and her team see what a college environment is like.

"It's really great to just help out in the college areas because some of us will be going there soon, and it's great to just help the freshmen get moved in and see the environment and everything," Campbell said.

During the last two years, Westwood softball has volunteered at the United Food Bank and Feed My Starving Children. White believes the team's volunteer work for these organizations positively affected those in need. This made the players feel like they were contributing to a meaningful and fulfilling cause. 

"I think it's really cool how we can help organizations like that because it's a way to give back to your community and people that are in need, and not getting money for it makes it rewarding," White said. "It's rewarding that we get to do it as a group and a community as a team together because it shows we can just do things for others."

In terms of fan turnout and support for her team, Dale has yet to see an immediate impact from the Warriors' volunteering. But that's not her goal. Instead, the purpose behind Westwood softball's community work is to inform others that the team will always lend a helping hand to those around it.

"It hasn't paid off as far as people showing up the way that I hope it someday does, but I do get a lot of positive comments from the community, from the neighbors," Dale said. "They just say that we're just doing the right thing, and they know that they can count on us. So I can't say it's totally altruistic because I do hope there is some payoff in the end that kind of comes back to support us. But in the meantime, if all it means is that the neighborhood knows that Westwood softball is willing to help, then that's great."

While Westwood softball is working toward leaving a lasting impact on its community, Dale has seen how volunteering has united her team. Through watching her players grow closer together, Dale believes that what the Warriors are doing is bigger than the game of softball. Her goal is to help them understand the value of their community and extend acts of kindness to all. 

"By instilling a sense of community service and a sense of wanting to give back to the community, I hope that that's something that they take with them," Dale said. "That it helps them grow into selfless adults and women who do look outside themselves and look for people that they can help. If that's the one thing they take away from playing Westwood softball, then I will feel like I've done my job."