Softball has shaped me into the woman I am today. One who is strong and confident, and knows who she is. Softball has taught me what a sense of community is, finding people who will show up and support you even in times of hardship, who have your back through every up and down. Softball has prepared me to become successful in life, granting me leadership skills, resilience, and competitiveness. Softball has made me a competitor, competing on the field, in the classroom, or just in life, softball has given me everything I know. As I approach my final year to wear South Gibson across my chest, thinking back on my high school career is bittersweet. Sweetly thinking of the leadership role I am stepping into, pushing my teammates to become better every single day. Bitterly thinking of leaving behind the girls I have been teammates with since we were in sixth grade. Seven years. Seven years of playing alongside one another, through slumps and hardships, wins and losses, we stuck together for seven years wearing SGC across our chests. I will watch many of these girls play their last-ever softball game, while mine will just begin. Next fall I will attend The University of Alabama in Huntsville to continue my softball career for four more years. Four years. That is all I have left. I have spent my whole life knowing nothing but softball. Waking up at 5:00 am for the early 8:00 am game, missing parties, football games, senior brunch, all because I wake up and choose this sport every single day. In four years it will all be gone, nothing but the memories. No more week-long trips with my best friends, no more going to the field with my dad every day after school, no more playing to represent something bigger than myself. Softball is not just a game to play on the weekends, softball is everything to me. One day, after my college career has seen its last pitch, I hope to contribute to growing this sport the way it should be. One day, I want to continue showing young female athletes that women in sports equally deserve everything a man does. So many young female athletes give up sports because they do not receive the same amount of support young male athletes do. The facilities are not as nice, the fundraising does not exist, and the community does not stand behind them. Young girls need someone in their corner who supports and encourages them no matter how good they may be. I hope to impact many young girls, softball players, basketball players, soccer players, that they are always enough to be a great female athlete, reminding these young girls that with hard work, resilience, humility, and dedication, you can do anything and more than another athlete can. After my last game, I know I will think back on the eight-year-old girl who decided to start playing softball because she thought it was the cool thing to do. I will not remember any strikeouts, missed ground balls, or any losses. I will think back to the little girl who found enough confidence in herself to try something new, even though she had no idea what she was doing, she tried it anyway. I hope to carry that confidence I had when I was eight years old with me for the rest of my life because softball was never just a game for me, softball is what made me into who I am.