This past August, I made the Illinois Impact 18U college softball showcase team, which was a tremendous step in my softball career. Just four years ago, I was learning the fundamentals of hitting and playing the game for my first time. However, it was a huge change in my athletic career since I hadn’t done much other than playing with my brother. I danced. All I knew was pirouettes and pliés. This was a whole different ballgame.
My new team has brought a heavy amount of dedication, three practices a week (two to three hours each) and weekend showcases all over the Midwest. Just this past month I was in Columbus, Ohio and St. Louis, Missouri, trying to get college recruiters to recognize me and pick up my profile. It’s been difficult, no doubt about it, but I would never trade it for the world.
Because of my coaches’ experience, my hitting, in the past few months, has improved greatly, also boosting my confidence. They have taught me more in this short time than ever before playing softball. All of my coaches have shown me that I am truly able to play softball in college, and I’ve never been more excited to see what is in store.
Not only the coaches have made an impact, but my teammates are my everything. I’ve never been closer with a team, and we have such bold chemistry on the field and off the field, so when we thrive, we thrive together, and when we fail, we fail together.
Softball has become my life and I love it. The feeling I get when I’m pitching on the mound is indescribable, and the dedication each player has to commit during the offseason is extensive. It’s just as difficult as any other sport, yet it’s unique to me.