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Twins of Wildcat Sports

Shortstop Aubrey Whitmer. (Source: Weber State Athletics)
Shortstop Aubrey Whitmer. (Source: Weber State Athletics)
sierra_whitmer
Pitcher Sierra Whitmer (Source: Weber State Athletics)

Sporting programs at Weber State often emphasize that their players have unity and a family-like bond as a team. This might come more naturally to twins Aubrey and Sierra Whitmer, who are teammates on the softball team.

The Whitmer sisters, junior transfers from the College of Southern Idaho, started playing softball at age 12. Sierra already had some experience on a diamond. She had started playing minor league baseball at 10.

Coach Mary Kay Amicone is impressed so far, and not just with their talent.

“They have been playing with us for six months and I can tell they are very good teammates,” Amicone said. “They’re funny, and they offset each other in that they’re very different.”

On the College of Southern Idaho team, the twins helped the Golden Eagles reach the softball nationals in St. George last year. Winning was a new experience for them.

“Our high school team wasn’t very good,” said Sierra. The girls attended Mesa High School in Arizona. “We really had to push ourselves to improve, so when we got onto a team that could play together, it was a lot of fun.”

On Weber’s team Sierra plays pitcher while Aubrey is on shortstop, but teammates still experience confusion sometimes over who’s who.

“It mostly happens when our hats are on,” said Aubrey. “I don’t really wear makeup as often as Sierra does, but when we both do and we’re wearing our hats, it’s hard to tell.”

Those who know the two well don’t seem to have trouble telling them apart in daily life, but it’s a different story when they’re on the field and in the same uniform.

“It can be hard seeing the difference,” Amicone said. “But it’s easy to let their skills set them apart. When you see a great pitcher and power hitter, you know that’s Sierra, but when you see a solid shortstop and power lefty, you know you’ve got Aubrey.”

Since they first played T-ball, both Sierra and Aubrey have played on the same team.

“Over the years we’ve built a special dynamic,” Sierra said. “We really push each other and we have competitions with each other.” Not only do they try to outdo each other, but they also lift and encourage one another on the field.

“Usually when she’s pitching, I’m like, ‘Come on, Sierra, you can do it!'” Aubrey said. “I really try to get her motivated, and I hope that helps.”

Both the Whitmers and the softball team are excited for their upcoming game against BYU this March.

“I think we’re gonna do great,” Aubrey said. “They should be good competition.”

The team won’t be doing any special training before the game, however.

“To me I don’t target a particular opponent,” Amicone said. “It’s one game at a time for us, and I think it’s exciting to play every opponent. BYU is no different than UVU to us, and it’s just another game for us to get tested in different ways to get better. “

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