Since December of 2017, softball has been more than just a game. It became a way of coping with the curveballs life threw. It was just before Christmas when I was 11, when my older sister Alyssa passed away from a drug overdose. Her death devastated our small family, but it hit my mom the hardest. She lost her firstborn child, and during her grief, she turned to alcohol to numb the pain. I had never experienced the weight of grief at that age. I was confused, overwhelmed, and struggled with emotions I didn’t know how to process. I can still remember the day my dad told me about Alyssa. After a few hours for me to process everything, he took me to the batting cages. At the time, it didn’t feel like comfort, or anything, honestly. But in hindsight, I can see it for what it was. I couldn’t express my gratitude then, but I now understand how important that moment was. Though I wasn’t ready to face the world, my dad pushed me to leave my room and gave me something I desperately needed: an outlet. That day, despite my grief, I found something that helped me stay afloat. From then on out, softball wasn’t just about playing well or winning every game. It became my lifeline. It became a way to channel the emotions I couldn’t put into words. It was where I could express the spunky and overly confident side of me that my dad sometimes refuses to handle (though deep down, I know he loves it). After my sister's passing, my family was torn apart by my parent's divorce. My mom spiraled into a deep depression with substance abuse problems. I turned to softball to help cope. Although I’m still working through the grief of losing my sister and watching my moms decline, I can confidently say I discovered a resilience within myself I didn’t know I had. Softball taught me how to keep moving forward– to turn my grief into strength, even when I believed I couldn’t. I’m thankful that this has shaped me, allowing my dad and I to become closer, and giving me a lifelong best friend. Since the day my dad forced me to leave my grief behind, softball has forever impacted my life. In the fall of 2025, I will officially start my collegiate softball career at the University of Minnesota Duluth, majoring in Human Biology on the pre-med track. While this new change will be thrilling, it is difficult to picture what next year will hold. But I know I am confident and determined to experience whatever pitch is thrown at me, no matter what. The biggest strength I’ve developed in my journey is my confidence and resilience, and I can’t wait to share that with those around me. My goal for the next four years is to inspire the ones around me to feel their best, both on and off the field. Throughout my career, I’ve learned that confidence can make or break a game. It kept me going and pushed me to take risks. I want to help my teammates develop that same belief in themselves. I know how impactful support can be, especially during adversity, and I hope to be the teammate who offers that encouragement. Whether lifting spirits after a loss or pushing someone to step out of their comfort zone, I want to help my teammates realize their strength. I believe we can build a team where everyone feels confident in their abilities because teamwide support stays long after you hang up our cleats.

Since December of 2017, softball has been more than just a game. It became a way of coping with the curveballs life threw. It was just before Christmas when I was 11, when my older sister Alyssa passed away from a drug overdose. Her death devastated our small family, but it hit my mom the hardest. She lost her firstborn child, and during her grief, she turned to alcohol to numb the pain. I had never experienced the weight of grief at that age. I was confused, overwhelmed, and struggled with emotions I didn’t know how to process. I can still remember the day my dad told me about Alyssa. After a few hours for me to process everything, he took me to the batting cages. At the time, it didn’t feel like comfort, or anything, honestly. But in hindsight, I can see it for what it was. I couldn’t express my gratitude then, but I now understand how important that moment was. Though I wasn’t ready to face the world, my dad pushed me to leave my room and gave me something I desperately needed: an outlet. That day, despite my grief, I found something that helped me stay afloat. From then on out, softball wasn’t just about playing well or winning every game. It became my lifeline. It became a way to channel the emotions I couldn’t put into words. It was where I could express the spunky and overly confident side of me that my dad sometimes refuses to handle (though deep down, I know he loves it). After my sister's passing, my family was torn apart by my parent's divorce. My mom spiraled into a deep depression with substance abuse problems. I turned to softball to help cope. Although I’m still working through the grief of losing my sister and watching my moms decline, I can confidently say I discovered a resilience within myself I didn’t know I had. Softball taught me how to keep moving forward– to turn my grief into strength, even when I believed I couldn’t. I’m thankful that this has shaped me, allowing my dad and I to become closer, and giving me a lifelong best friend. Since the day my dad forced me to leave my grief behind, softball has forever impacted my life. In the fall of 2025, I will officially start my collegiate softball career at the University of Minnesota Duluth, majoring in Human Biology on the pre-med track. While this new change will be thrilling, it is difficult to picture what next year will hold. But I know I am confident and determined to experience whatever pitch is thrown at me, no matter what. The biggest strength I’ve developed in my journey is my confidence and resilience, and I can’t wait to share that with those around me. My goal for the next four years is to inspire the ones around me to feel their best, both on and off the field. Throughout my career, I’ve learned that confidence can make or break a game. It kept me going and pushed me to take risks. I want to help my teammates develop that same belief in themselves. I know how impactful support can be, especially during adversity, and I hope to be the teammate who offers that encouragement. Whether lifting spirits after a loss or pushing someone to step out of their comfort zone, I want to help my teammates realize their strength. I believe we can build a team where everyone feels confident in their abilities because teamwide support stays long after you hang up our cleats.