Pixar Animation Studios’ “Win or Lose” brings softball to life in the new original series on Disney+. Across eight episodes, the show chronicles the challenges and struggles of players, the coach, the umpire, and a mom surrounding the Pickles, a co-ed middle school softball team.
It was surreal to watch for Athletes Unlimited Softball League players who have spent not only their middle school years on a softball field but also their entire lives. Volts’ athletes Sis Bates and Mariah Mazon attended a premiere of the show’s release at Pixar’s headquarters in Emeryville, California.
“When I was young, I looked up to a lot of baseball players; softball wasn’t televised,” Bates said. “We’re on ESPN, and now there’s a Pixar film about it – how amazing for these young athletes to look up to something.”
Co-writer and co-director Carrie Hobson played softball growing up until reaching high school. Throughout the creation of the show, it was important to Hobson to show the true, fierce nature of the sport.
“Obviously, we’re making our own fictionalized league, but we still wanted to be true to how cool this sport is,” Hobson said. “Fastpitch softball is intense.”
The details of the sport shine in just the first episode, and for Bates and Mazon, what impacted them most was seeing a motion they’ve watched thousands of times animated on screen.
“She had a little crow hop in there! Her ball was even moving a little bit,” Mazon said.
That was by no mistake. Hobson described herself as a “stickler” about the pitching because it would be the first time the softball world saw it depicted this way. Producer David Lally agreed.
“We love obsessing over the details and making sure we get it right, whether it’s the cheers or everything about the motion of a pitch,” Lally said.
One of those details that stood out to Mazon was when the team gathered for a meeting after their win. They huddled in a circle while the coach sat on a bucket.
“I would say after the game when they were having the coaches meeting, everyone was sitting down, the little stars they put on their helmets… that was such a softball thing,” Mazon said.
“This is ours. This is not baseball, this is softball,” Bates added.
From the cheers to hitting signs from the third-base coach, “Win or Lose” achieved the authentic feel. But even if viewers aren’t already softball fans, Bates thinks the impact of the characters will be important.
“Maybe they’re not a softball player, maybe they’re a basketball player, but there’s still visibility in somebody that looks like them playing sports.”
After seeing the first four episodes, Mazon immediately thought of her niece. She’s six and about to start playing softball this year.
“Getting to see something like this on the big screen, on Disney+, I think it will get her more excited.”
The first four episodes are available now, with two more released every Wednesday.
Savanna Collins is the Senior Reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Twitter @savannaecollins.
