Tara and Taylor Chatowsky have spent the past four years as integral members of the Roger Williams University Softball team. An inseparable duo, you rarely see the two on campus without one another. When it came time for their decision to attend college, the pair of Rhode Island natives knew that they wanted to stay close to home. Luckily for them, Roger Williams was just the place.
 
"The decision to attend RWU was an easy one. We are from Rhode Island and knew we wanted to stay in the state. The first time we visited campus it just felt right. We also really wanted to continue our softball careers and knew we had the opportunity to try out and walk on the softball team."
 
Softball is an important part of live for Tara and Taylor. The two have grown up around the game, having played organized softball for 15 years. Their father grew their love for the game with wiffle ball in the backyard as young children before moving up to tee ball. At Roger Williams, the two found an opportunity to continue their playing careers where they have thrived over the past four years.
 
"One memory we will never forget is our freshman year when Coach pulled us aside on the last day of tryouts and told us we made the team. We are so thankful to have had the opportunity to be a part of this team and leave a mark on the softball program."
 
And leave a mark on the program they did. Tara is a four-year starter on the Softball team where she was a two-time All-CCC Second Team selection, a two-time NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete, and finished her career with 100 hits. Taylor is a three-year starter for the Hawks where she was played in nearly 100 games for RWU and was selected as NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete in her junior year.
 
"Most of our favorite memories involve softball. Softball has been the best part of our college experience. A lot of these memories are made during our spring break trips to Florida. This is because we are together for a week straight and when you've got teammates like we do, there's never a dull moment."
 
This year's Spring Break trip was a little bittersweet, as they along with the rest of the team learned that their season would be coming to a close upon their return. However, they made the most of their trip during their week in Florida, coming away with five wins during the week and a sweep of Geneva and Northwestern-St. Paul on the final day of competition.
 
"Although we received the news that our season was ending during this spring break trip, this is by far our favorite trip. This is because there is something special about this team. It is so much fun to be a member of this team because we grew into a family. Not only does everyone on this team love each other but they also love the sport. You could really see how much everyone appreciates softball and the opportunity to play. Every RWU softball team that we have been on over the past four years has been memorable, but this one in particular will always have a special place in our hearts."
 
With the shift to online learning for the remainder of the semester, Tara and Taylor will have to put to good use their mental toughness and ability to adapt that they have learned as members of the RWU Softball team.
 
"It will be challenging to adjust to online learning especially because we are so used to learning in a classroom setting. We have always had relationships with our professors and were never afraid to ask questions during class. It will be different to not have that face-to-face contact. But we will be able to adjust!"
 
After Roger Williams, Tara and Taylor plan on taking and passing the CPA exam, then securing a position at an accounting firm. Despite their softball careers coming to a close, their time as a Hawk and the bonds they have formed are only just beginning, and they plan on remaining close to the program.
 
"We plan on watching as much RWU softball that we can!"