Softball: Cook County All-Area captain Cline powers Barrington to state for third time in her four years

Since her freshman year on the Barrington varsity softball team, Mimi Cline listened to her coach Perry Peterson tell his players they had to get into the weight room if they wanted to achieve great things.

The Fillies placed second in the Mid-Suburban West and second in the sectional in 2024.

"If we were going to make the jump this season, something had to change," Peterson said. "And Mimi thought the change needed to be with the strength, physicality and power of our team."

So Cline took things into her own hands.

"Mimi came to me last summer after we lost in sectional and said, 'Coach, I'm confident you used to run a weight training program (before COVID) at Barrington which helped the program'. She said, "I'd like to help develop that again."

Peterson told her it was possible but she would have to get more than just herself and three teammates to be motivated.

"I shared that if you're able to get the whole program, I'm willing to start it up," he said. "So she asked around and then came to me and said, 'Coach, 'I've got at least 25 people'.

"Well that morphed into 45 people, so on Oct. 8 we started with our weight training. Last week when the kids went into weight training for the last time, some of them were going for their 74th time out of 76 workouts in the eight-month period."

Sure enough, the results showed up as the Fillies walloped 51 home runs this spring and returned to the state finals taking second place to Oswego last Saturday in the Class 4A state finals in Peoria.

Cline belted 11 of those long balls as the leadoff batter.

But that was hardly all of her contributions.

Patrolling centerfield for the fourth straight year, Cline batted .477 with 14 doubles, 2 triples and a team-high 53 RBI, 62 runs and 63 hits.

Her play in center -- 39-of-39 on fielding opportunities -- was as good as any Peterson has had in the position in his 33 years at Barrington.

"Mimi's so quick, she glides out there," Peterson said. "She's just very aggressive and very strong. She is really the complete package. She not only has great speed but a great arm, so she can bring the ball back into the infield so quickly. She is really remarkable getting the ball off the wall and getting it to second base on a ball that is hit in the gap."

Add it all up, and it's captain material all the way.

Cline is captain of the 2025 Daily Herald Cook County All-Area team, marking the 14th time Barrington has produced the captain.

Not too many Mid-Suburban League players can say in four years on the varsity, they played in three state finals.

"I am so honored to say out of the 13 times Barrington has gone downstate (since 1976), I’ve been a part of three of them," Cline said. "Each one of the three teams that I’ve gone downstate with worked so hard to get there but this team is special. We all work so well together and have a common goal."

Goals are what Cline is all about, starting with getting the weight training program back in gear.

"I first wanted to start it in hopes to build team camaraderie, and of course, to get stronger," she said. "I knew this weight room experience would be so good for us and specifically for the underclassmen who will be on varsity the following years. In our preseason meeting, Coach P preached multiple times how important this will be for our team this year and he was so right."

Cline's next goal will be to pursue a career in kinesiology when she studies at Iowa State.

"I picked this because I've been in the Barrington High School athletic training program for the past three years and they are amazing at what they do," she said. "I hope I can help as many people as they do.

"I chose Iowa State because it feels like home. My whole family has gone to Iowa State (my parents and sisters) as well as my whole dad’s side is from Iowa. I love the atmosphere and community Iowa State provides."

Cline chose to wear No. 24 because her father Boe wore No. 23 while winning a state championship in high school baseball. "No. 23 was taken when I came as a freshman so I picked the next best thing," Mimi said.

“(My father) has been the most influential person in my softball career because he has taught me everything I know. He has believed in me so much more than anyone else has and he knows I can do anything."

Cline's role model in college softball is also a center fielder, Florida senior All-American Kendra Falby.

"I feel like as a center fielder she takes control and shows good leadership," Cline said. "Her ability to read the ball and make plays with aggressiveness is admirable. She's also just a great player to watch because of her energy and how vocal she is."

Mimi grew up playing soccer but when she was 10 years old her father wanted her to try softball.

"He wanted to take my speed from soccer and apply it to running around the bases," she said. "I ended up falling in love with the game and am forever grateful my dad introduced it to me."

While she sparkles in center field, Cline's favorite part of softball is definitely offense.

"I love running the bases (19-of-20 stolen bases this spring) and being able to use my speed to my advantage," Cline said. "The biggest offensive challenge I deal with is fighting my way through a count because it’s an individual battle between the pitcher and I."

Cline is not planning on playing immediately at Iowa State.

"I will definitely miss softball," she said. "I love the challenge and the structure it gives me and I’m not sure how my life is going to be without playing a sport. Softball has also given me my best friends and a built in family. I would love to have a chance to play for Iowa State. I hope that one day I will get the opportunity to prove myself."

She certainly has proven herself as one of the best in high school.

"I learned this past year that camaraderie, whether it be on or off the field, is key to success," she said. "I will miss my teammates very much. I know everyone feels lucky to be a part of such a great high school program along with an amazing community which supports our school."