There’s nothing more exhilarating on the ball diamond than being in a pickle–that is, until players on Elkhart High School softball team discovered that pickles can be extremely tasty in the dugout, as well!

With the never-ending list of COVID restrictions, everything in sports is different this season, including the time-honored tradition of eating sunflower seeds during the game. So, what’s a girl to do? Enjoy eating pickles!

It was hard to find a replaceable snack–until pitcher Madayln “Maddie” Simmons, an Elkhart-West junior, pitched her “cucumber of an idea.”  As it turns out, substituting pickles for their game-day snack was a huge Home Run! The whole dugout was astonished at how mouthwatering the pickles were.

Simmons says, “I like pickles because it reminds me of my childhood. When I was a kid,” she recalls, “I lived in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Every Wednesday at school, we had pickle day. Half a pickle for 50 cents, a whole pickle for a dollar, and a pickle-cicle for 25 cents!” A pickle-cicle? Simmons explains. “They took the pickle juice and put it in sauce cups and froze it.” Definitely not something seen in Indiana. But, Simmons explains that, as well. “In Louisiana, it’s 95 degrees with 80 percent  humidity–so you take anything you can to cool off!” For Simmons, though, it’s just a taste of home. “I love pickles, because it reminds me of when I was younger.” So, from being in a pickle between bases to having the pickles in between the sides of the jar, the softball team all loves ‘em now, too.

As a result, the Lions softball team is creating a new sports trend with these pickles, on and off the field. Not only do they taste good, but pickles are a great source “of good bacteria called probiotics, which are important for gut health.”  According to WebMD, “[Pickles] also have a high concentration of vitamins because the salty brine draws out the water from the pickles.”  But, it’s what’s inside the pickle that really counts. The pickle juice is known to relieve cramps 45 times faster; so, if any player pulls a muscle, the pickle juice might make the difference between getting back in the game or not.

While the softball team might be onto something new around Elkhart, they are not the first to discover the benefits of pickles. Dating back almost four thousand years ago, pickles were one of the biggest franchises out there, making them a very popular item to grow and cure. Nowadays, pickles can go on sandwiches, tossed in salads, or just eaten straight from the jar. In short, pickles are truly an amazing snack with amazing health benefits.

Moreover, pickles also have a very low calorie count: one cup of pickles is equivalent to seventeen calories. And, they are a great bite for on the go–or in the dugout. 

Thus, while pickles began to get favorited in the year 2030 BC–and all can thank the Mesopotamian’s for that–the Lady Lions are thankful to Vlasic, Kosher Dill, and Gherkins for continuing to uphold that legacy. This “green giant” among vegetables has been a fan favorite with everyone from Cleopatra to George Washington to Thomas Jefferson–and, now, they’ve hit a Grand Slam with the EHS softball team, too.