We Have A Winner! The Softball Community Picked Its Preferred Pfeiffer Painted Pumpkin Which Is…

On Monday, we gave you—the softball fan—the chance to vote for your favorite painted pumpkins created by members of the Pfeiffer University softball team from Misenheimer, North Carolina was your favorite.

And the winning pumpkin as selected by our Extra Inning Softball community voters is… Dubble Bubble!

The exact replica of the gum candy received 36% of the vote from the public while the second place Mike Wazowski (with arms and legs) received 26% of the vote.

A week ago last night (October 23, 2019) the 24 players on the Div. III team that went 36-7 and won the ECAC championship got together for a fun team-building exercise.

And, boy, did the creative—and comedic—juices come out!

Two of the six poked fun at Head Coach Monte Sherrill who enjoyed the humor as much as anyone.

But there was a serious side, too, to the contest.

Addison York, a junior outfielder from Olin, North Carolina who was on the team of four that painted the Dubble Bubble pumpkin, explained the value the team-building exercise for Halloween had on their quartet and the rest of the team.

“The pumpkin painting contest gave our group the opportunity to get to know each other better and strengthen our relationships we had together by provoking conversation, brainstorming and working together, and creating a great bonding experience,” she began.

“Our group was one that I would say was already considerably tight with each other before being assigned together, but our relationships with one another still came out of this competition stronger than before.”

“We were able to understand each other’s thinking process when we had to brainstorm an idea for our pumpkin and figure out how to execute that idea. Being on a sports team, you usually only see how your teammates process information or actions pertaining to that sport unless you have the opportunity to be in the same classes as some of your teammates.”

“This contest provided us with that insight so that I feel as though I know my teammates much better and that our team dynamic as a whole will benefit from this activity.”

Another of the four who did the Dubble Bubble pumpkin, Kendra Mayes, found more benefits to the group bounding activity.

“This contest was such a great team bonding activity, because it allowed me to become closer with my teammates,” she explained. “I have noticed that each of my teammates have something different/special about them. Coming to Pfeiffer I realized that so many of my friends/teammates from back home would also be here, but my group for this contest was made up of people that I do not talk to as much as others.”

“This activity made me realize that all of my teammates are here for a reason, and they all bring something special to the team. I have not always been a very outgoing person, but they brought out a completely different side of me. I feel like I can go to my teammates about anything without being judged.”

“This activity was so much fun to work on, because none of us thought we had any artistic abilities! Our pumpkin came out look great, and I couldn’t have been more excited to turn it in. Pfeiffer Softball is a one of a kind team with one of a kind players, and our team bonding activities just bring us that much closer to a championship.”

“The Annual Pumpkin Painting Contest is more than just a friendly competition,” says Alexis Walter, a sophomore utility player from Taylorsville, North Carolina,, who was one of the four who painted the second-place Mike Wazowski pumpkin.

“Teams were able to brainstorm, work together, and bond along the way. Going into this challenge, everyone in our group were friends; we even have a class together but we were not super close.”

“Our bond as teammates and friends grew stronger by the end. We learned very quickly how everyone processed things especially when we had to choose how to paint our pumpkin and produce a finished product.”

“On the softball field, our team is a well-oiled machine. Everyone has a job and trusts the other person to do theirs too. Everyone knows what everyone else is thinking. This contest was a smaller way for us to build up those skills. We were able to see strengths, weaknesses and even who’s the most competitive which will benefit our team dynamic in the future.”

Coach Sherrill, impressed that his team-building exercise had so much depth to it, jokingly responded, “After reading this, I see why I am the low man on the totem pole as far as intellect!”

Congrats to all the participants on the Pfeiffer team for their outstanding efforts, sense of humor and comradery and for Coach Sherrill for being a good sport about being immortalized as a pumpkin!

We can’t wait to see what the team will do for Christmas!

— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball