Team chemistry is one of the most vital components to a successful season for any team in any sport. And perhaps more than any other component, it doesn’t happen overnight.

Take the Olympic Trojans softball team.

For the senior Trojan trio of Kelsey Anchors, Rachel Haas and Athena Rosario, it’s something that’s taken years to grow.

“It seems like we’ve known each other since diapers,” Anchors said at practice Thursday.

In truth, the Trojans center fielder, shortstop/pitcher and catcher respectively have honed the bond between them since the age of “3 or 4” years old, Rosario estimates. From t-ball to Trojans, it’s that friendship that’s helped Olympic overhaul its program, not only building a winning team on the field, but an atmosphere of camaraderie on and off it.

“I think, especially for the young girls, seeing girls working together really brings them in with us,” Haas said. “We have so much fun together. It brings the whole team together.”

That’s proven true for the Trojans thus far as the team stands at 12-6 heading into postseason play, battling the South Puget Sound League’s No. 2 seed, Auburn Riverside. The Trojans enter the 3A West Central District Tournament as the No. 2 seed from the Olympic League.

“It’s a big success with our team,” Anchors said. “Everyone is working really hard. For this team, we’re very close. There’s no drama, no nothing. We’re very proud of being where we are.”

While they’re proud of advancing to districts, their not content to simply make it this far.

After advancing to the Narrows League playoffs for the first time in 2006, the Trojans hoped to vie for a league crown last season, returning the then-sophomore trio alongside multiple returning starters. The Trojans fell short however, compiling a 9-8 record overall (6-8 in league), missing the postseason altogether.

But with the first district berth of their high school careers under their belts, the senior trio is eager to keep the momentum going forward.

“I think we all want it just as bad,” Anchors said. “We really want that. We really want to get to state.”

“All three of us, we talked about it,” Rosario added. “We want to go as far as we can. We have a really good team here; lots of good athletes. We want to push past this level.”

But it’s not just these three Trojan standouts making the push.

“It means a lot to the three of us, but it means a lot to us each individually,” Rosario said, referring to all of her Trojan teammates. “I want this team to go up because coach (Rachel Davenport), she said she’s never had a team that pushed to the next level each day, more and more.”

It’s with that attitude the Trojans descend on the district tournament, which began yesterday and continues today at Sprinker Recreation Center in Tacoma.

“This year we definitely proved ’em wrong,” Rosario said. “We were underdogs at first and look where we are now.”

With their beginnings early in life, the three softballers have forged a long-lasting friendship. But Anchors said it also helps them on the field.

“We have this sister bond,” Anchors said, pointing out their positions often form a straight line. “It’s always fun to have someone there that knows what you’re thinking. It just makes the team stronger when you have people you’ve been playing with for a long time.”

That line signifies the trust the teammates share in one another, allowing them to be confident in each other’s abilities.

“I just love being able to trust somebody,” Haas said. “I’ve got someone in front of me I trust, someone behind me I trust. It makes it fun, relaxing. I love it.”

For a catcher like Rosario, she said it’s a big help to know the tendencies and idiosyncrasies.

“For high school ball, I’ve caught Rachel for the last three years,” Rosario said. “I was always there for her struggles. I know when to talk to her, when to leave her alone. With Rachel, you just have to give her her time.

“With Kelsey, it’s all inside jokes from me and her,” she continued. “I’m behind the plate, she’s out there. We’ll both throw up these signs and just laugh.”

Haas too has memories of her teammates she’ll take with her.

“Kelsey and I, we used to look alike,” Haas said. “People used to think we were twins.”

She remembers at one point the duo, while playing either youth soccer or softball as children, would try to catch people off guard by swapping their jerseys to see who would notice. As for Rosario…

“I would always have a doll in my hand,” Haas said. “Athena would always be like, ‘What are you doing? Why are you playing with dolls?’ So we’d race, run around. She’s our rock.”

As the three Oly seniors prepare to take their next steps in life — Anchors will play for Oklahoma State University, Rosario will play for Blue Mountain Community College and Haas will attend the University of Washington — it’s further fueled their desire to keep the season going.

“I think really, we just need to stay focused,” Haas said. “We know how to play, we know the game.”

“It’s gonna take a lot of hard work and more dedication than we already have,” Rosario added. “It’s gonna take everyone pushing each other to the next level.”

While the trio has been the core of Oly’s success, Rosario is quick to point out they could not have done it alone.

“When I came in here (this season) it was like, ‘It’s gonna be Rachel, ‘Kelse’ and ‘T,’” Rosario said. “But (seniors) Pam (Murphy) and Amy (Howard) have contributed a lot too. The underclassmen, they work really hard every day. Just because they’re underclassmen doesn’t mean the talent is weaker.”

Having been to the postseason before, and with each playing club softball throughout their lives, they’ve been in high-pressure games before.

“We’ve all been in championship games, state championship games (for club ball),” Haas said. “But representing your school is a totally different feeling, a totally different atmosphere. I’m really glad we’ve been there before. Not only in softball but in soccer too.”

That will help the senior leaders relay what it’s like to the underclassmen, Anchors said.

Overall, the Trojans said they were ready for the challenge.

“It’s anybody’s game,” Haas said. “It has been all year.”

Knowing the end is approaching is something that still weighs heavily on the friends, however.

“That’s weird to hear,” Anchors said. “‘Oh yeah, you’re not gonna be playing with those people anymore.’”

Haas won’t play for UW, but she said she’ll stay active playing different intramural sports and traveling, adding Oklahoma and Oregon visits in the spring.

“I want to go take trips,” Haas said. “Lots of things like that I wouldn’t be able to do if I were just playing sports.”

While she said it’s hard to believe she’s hanging up her competitive cleats, she plans to live vicariously through Anchors and Rosario.

“I’m really excited for them and happy for them,” Haas said. “I’m excited to go see ’em (play).”

With college life ahead, they’re excited to take life’s next steps.

“The more people I talk to, the more they tell you college is where you find yourself,” Haas said. “It’s great we can all go our separate ways and know we’ll all be close.”

“That’s the way life goes,” Anchors added. “We’ll always have that bond. We’ll always have that friendship, that sisterhood we have now.”