When NIU softball coach Lindsay Chouinard recruited Kristyn and Kaitlyn Barrett, it was safe to say that she might have been seeing double.

Kaitlyn, the oldest, and Kristyn, are identical freshmen twins on the NIU softball team. Both said they came to NIU because of the opportunity to play together.

“That’s kind of how we wanted it to be,” Kristyn said. “A lot of other schools asked if we could split up, and that wasn’t our number one choice. So when we got an offer to play together, we took it. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Kaitlyn said Chouinard came up to both of them with the specific intention of getting them both to come play softball for NIU.

“We had a camp up here and she came up to both of us at the same time and said, ‘I want you to both come up here for an unofficial visit. I want you guys to play for us.’ She never said anything about splitting up,” Kaitlyn said.

Maybe it’s being in the same womb for nine months or growing up looking like the same person, but twins typically don’t spend too much time away from each other, and this holds true for both Kaitlyn and Kristyn.

“We have friends that we grew up with that were twins who split up and went to different schools,” Kaitlyn said. “We saw them over break and they said it was hard being away from your twin, not being with your sister all the time and talking to her, having her be there for you. So it’s nice having each other around.”

The move NIU should not only help the twins, who said they are best friends, but it should also help the softball team as the two push each other to become better players.

In high school, the two batted next to each other in the batting order, and their parents would keep their stats, which they would relay back to the twins to encourage their competition.

“We usually went one-two in the batting order, so we would compete with each other to keep each others batting average up,” Kaitlyn said. “After every game to increase that competition between us, our mom would say, ‘Oh, Kristyn had this many stolen bases, or Kaitlyn had this many hits.”

Obviously the twins biggest advantage is their uncanny ability to know what the other is thinking.

“Our parents say it’s hard when we have our helmets on and stuff and they can’t see our faces,” Kaitlyn said. “When we were younger, Kristyn wore the No. 10, because 10 rhymed with Kristyn; everyone has a hard time, but they’re… “ Kaitlyn said.

To which Kristyn filled in the rest of her sister’s answer with, “They’re pretty good about it.”

Both twins play in the outfield. When Kristyn was in high school, she played shortstop. Now that the two are playing outfield, Kaitlyn helps show her sister the ropes.

“Kaitlyn helps me out a lot with the outfield,” Kristyn said. “I was recruited to play outfield, but I haven’t played it for about three or four years. So she’s helpful with that because I’m obviously out of practice.”

With the season still young, and the long road bearing ahead, just like it had to get used to playing with identical twins, NIU will have to get used to playing with each other before consistent success can be achieved.

“We’re very young,” Kristyn said. “We only have four upper classmen. So once we get settled in, I think we’ll be very good.”