On October 2, 2018, I tweeted “One day you won’t lace up your cleats, do your pregame ritual, give your teammate a high five after they score, and you won’t go to practice. One day it will all be over, and you won’t get to do it again. Be grateful for the opportunity and live in the moment.”  Little did I know that would stand true.

On March 12, 2020 at about 3:30 PM, we heard that our season would be suspended indefinitely due to the Coronavirus. There were many tears shed, many people in shock, and many that didn’t how to react. As a senior, I had no words. I was in complete shock with tears rolling down my face. I completely thought that I had just played my last game the night before. I thought I was done playing the game I have loved for the past eighteen years.

When we broke out for the last time, I could barely even speak. I thought that would be my last time to do that as a player. It was sad, but I knew that this issue was bigger than myself and the sport of softball. On March 13^th, our coach told us to pack up and go home because COVID-19 was the real deal and we needed to go home and start quarantine. At first, I was very skeptical about not being able to go anywhere or do anything, but looking back on it, I am very glad it happened. I believe that it was much-needed for everyone in this country to just relax and rest. Family is super important to me and getting to spend so much time with them was well worth it. We got so close and built a special bond that no one can break. I am super blessed to have had those six months learning more about them and getting closer to God with them.

While in quarantine, I learned quite a few things and picked up some new hobbies. Don’t take anything for granted because it can be gone in an instant. Always take family time seriously and enjoy their company when you have it. BE WHERE YOUR FEET ARE. Live in the moment and appreciate everything you have. When you are grateful for everything you have, you have all you need.

On March 30^th, I got the call that the NCAA was giving spring-sport athletes another year of eligibility. My emotions were very high, but I just burst into tears. I couldn’t believe that spring-sport athletes got to finish the game on their own terms.

When I got the message that I got my year back, I knew I had to start preparing. The gyms weren’t open, so I found a love for high intensity interval training (HIIT) and long-distance running. I got into really good shape and set goals for myself to beat my times each time I would run. Our team did different competitions every week to make sure everyone was staying in shape. It was something fun and challenging for us to do when we couldn’t be with each other. We were so ready to be back and get after it on the field.

I have had COVID-19 twice, less than three months apart. I tested positive on September 3 and November 18, 2020. I was very shocked that I got it once, much less twice. The first time I got it, I was super upset, but embraced all the challenges that came with it. My teammates made it okay because they would always ask if I ever needed anything or needed food. My roommate already had the antibodies, so she took care of me and was always up to go hit ground balls or pitch to me. My teammates really helped me get through that 10-day quarantine. COVID-19 is not something to mess around with because it is a very serious virus. Our team has really done our part in staying in our bubble and we’re just excited to be back on the field.

As I go into this season, I am embracing every little thing. My glove this year has “Embrace it” on it because I am so grateful that I am able to play one more season with this amazing group of girls and coaches, for one of the best universities, and in front of the best fan bases. Our team has some of the best chemistry it has ever had since I’ve been here. We are excited for one another, on and off the field. The depth that we have going into this weekend is phenomenal because everyone has been practicing multiple positions just in case someone has to quarantine. My team is so fun to be around and we just can’t wait to step on the field and enjoy being in the moment and being where our feet are. We love this game, and we are so blessed that we get to take the field.

Here’s to 2021!!!

The post Jayden Mount’s Thoughts: On Super Senior-ism and having COVID-19… twice! appeared first on Justin's World of Softball.

WOW, it has been a crazy couple of weeks! It has been a whirlwind of emotions. My heart is still heavy as this season abruptly came to an end. One minute, my team and I are gearing up for spring break. The next, I am packing up my stuff to go home, not to return to school or return to play for the rest of the season. It saddens me that one minute I am having the best time of life, playing the game I love, playing with my teammates, being around great coaches, and playing in front of my family. To one of the worst moments of finding out my games for the rest of the season were canceled; everything I had worked for just gone. One lesson I am reminded of through all of this is to NEVER take your time on the field for granted. Your time on the field goes by fast and it can be taken away at any moment. Everyone should be playing like it is their last game. My heart goes out to all the seniors and all the student-athletes who have been affected by this.

During the first 24 hours after the announcement, I felt so lost and confused. I thought it was so unfair, so ridiculous, and mostly I thought everyone was overreacting. But as time goes on, I realize this is so much bigger than myself. I also understand that from here, we have two options. 1) Stay at home and feel sorry for ourselves or 2) Get back to working out as much as possible to have an even better season come next year. I choose the second option. We all have to keep working one day at a time. I do not know what the future holds, but I do know we will get through this.

To my LMU girls: from the first pitch to the last pitch, there was never a dull moment this season. I am proud of every single one of you! We made the most of this short season beating #4 LSU and #13 Michigan was just the beginning. We will be back bigger, stronger, and better than ever! We have unfinished business to take care of.

As a reminder, keep washing those hands and keep doing your part to stop the spread! Stay safe and stay home! Hope you enjoyed reading my blog. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below and I will do my best answering them at the end on my next blog. Thank you for reading!

The post Molly Grumbo’s Blog – Entry #3 appeared first on Justin's World of Softball.

Gratitude has really been the word that we go to. “The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become” – Robert Holden. Living a life full of gratitude will make your life so much better. When you are grateful for every at bat, every game, and every practice it will make you realize how much you have. We have 2 mottos for this spring, they are, Be the Culture and SHIP. Be the Culture is setting a standard and living by that. Doing everything right, not taking a pitch off, and going 100% every chance we get. SHIP means selfless, hardworking, impactful, and positive. Living by these standards, we will be the culture and excel in whatever we do. We can take these standards into our life after softball is over. Coach Molly has brought in a lot of stuff that will help us with life after softball. She has really changed the culture here and I am grateful. Ana Hogan, a senior first baseman, said, “Coach Molly has changed the culture at ULM for the better by instilling qualities such as work ethic, professionalism, servitude, and gratitude into her players. These qualities allow us to set a standard and surpass it in everything that we do, from our future jobs to our future families.” She believes that we have what it takes to change this ball club and lead us in the right direction.

Energy, effort and attitude are things that you can control. Having energy at practice, weights, games, and even road trips will allow you to be free. Playing free this year has allowed us to play our ball. We believe that when we’re playing for each other and giving each other all of us we will succeed. Effort is going all out on every pitch. Having a “good” mindset will make you look at things with a different perspective. (LINK) When things don’t go your way, GOOD. There’s an opportunity to get better. The culture at ULM has changed tremendously. It has driven us to work harder for each other because we love the game and want to succeed as bad as we want to breathe. When teams want to win that bad that’s when you will be the best. That’s when you will win those close games. That’s when you do all the little things right that lead up to the big things.

MUDITA: finding vicarious joy in other’s success. When you forget about yourself and play for your teammates you will realize why you play the game. Always having your teammates back and picking them up in times of need is where this comes into play. Softball is a game of failure but that makes the success even better. Changing the culture into playing free, having each other’s backs and having vicarious joy for everyone will make any program successful. Helping a pinch hitter or having a pitcher’s back on defense will push you to win those tight games. Changing the culture for the better takes time, but it is all worth it.

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I hope everyone enjoyed my first blog post! Finally, LMU started off the season! We started off strong! The first 5 game of the season were played at Cal State Fullerton. It was very exciting! We had a lot of fans in the stadium. Our team ended up staying in a hotel, which was a great team bonding experience! Our next 5 games were played at Lake Elsinore, where we stayed at a hotel again. A lot of our fans ended up making it out to the game which was awesome to see. The next set of games were played at our home tournament where we hosted Sacramento State, Quinnipiac University, and University of Delaware. It was very fun to finally have our first home game. This year, LMU softball has been learning that we are a scrappy team. We have to show up to the field playing like there is a chip our shoulders. Our team is very close. Every game we play for each other and the letters in front of our chest. Our team continuously works one pitch at a time, plays with heart and pride. Just doing what it takes to win every ball game. As a team, we set our expectations high. We intend to keep them high throughout season. Every game, as long as we stick to playing LMU softball, we know we can get the job done. That was our mindset going into the Judi Garman Classic.

During the Judi Garman Classic, our team took down #4 LSU in a 1-0 victory with Linnay Wilson throwing a shutout and only allowing 4 hits during the game. It was a great team win! Everything was clicking, defense played great, offense did our job by scoring, and Linnay shut things down in the circle. The second day we took on #11 Michigan, who we defeated in a 2-1 win. Linnay again threw in that game, and she did great. Our defense really stepped up to the plate, making big plays to end the inning with runners in scoring position for Michigan. On the third day, we played Cal Poly SLO which we defeated in 5 innings, in a 13-3 win. We lost to Boise State; the score was 6-4. On the fourth day, both of our games got cancelled. Overall, it was a very good weekend for our team. Going into each and every game, we really focused on playing our game and not worrying what is on our opponents’ jerseys. In all our games, we come out attacking the first pitch and competing every pitch, at bat, and inning until the game is over. We try to WIN EACH PITCH! We, as a team, focus on here and now- being where our feet are- being in when we need to be in and out when we need to be out.

After playing the in the Judi Garman Classic tournament, LMU will start spring break in Eugene, Oregon to play the University of Oregon, Portland State, and Seattle University. Once we get back from Oregon, we will be hosting our LMU Tournament. Teams that will play in the tournament include UC-Santa Barbara, Idaho State, Iowa State, DePaul, Wagner College, North Dakota State, and Harvard.

On a more personal note, my older brother, Jordan, came to watch our games for the next two weeks. My parents have been at every game since the start of the season. It has been a very full couple weeks of softball, but I would not have it any other way.

Hope you enjoyed reading my blog. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below and I will do my best answering them at the end on my next blog. Thank you for reading!

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My name is Mackenzie Lawter and I am a catcher at Virginia Tech. I am a junior this year and I am double majoring in Multimedia Journalism and Political Science. I am from South Boston, Virginia, which is about three hours from Virginia Tech. That’s one reason why I love being at Tech, because it is close enough for my parents to come to Blacksburg for all of our games. I also have three older sisters who have played a big part in my softball career, so it’s important to me that I get to see them so often throughout the season.

I started playing softball when I was about five and have been playing ever since. I did not start catching until I was around 9. I enjoy catching because I am involved in every play and can see everything going on. Another part of catching that I enjoy is creating relationships with the pitchers and building trust with them.

This week has been a busy but exciting week for our team as we have been preparing to travel. Our first tournament of the season is at Coastal Carolina, and we play five games over the course of the weekend. In order to prepare to start traveling, we have all been trying to get ahead on our schoolwork as much as we can. Next week will be no different as we prepare to play our second tournament in Clearwater, Florida. We leave on Wednesday to travel, which is a day earlier than this week. Because of this, we will be utilizing our time traveling and our few days back in Blacksburg to keep up on schoolwork. Our whole team is really looking forward to getting the season started and I cannot wait keep you guys updated throughout the year!

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Considering season is right around the corner I thought this would be such a great time to share with you some of my perspective and advice on this upcoming season for each of the classes.

Freshmen
Get ready for one of the most incredible rides of your life. Everything you have done since you were little girls to now in your first year of college has led to this moment. You are ready. This is still the same game you’ve been playing for so many years. So soak it in and enjoy it. Most importantly have fun and embrace everything college softball has to offer. Your upperclassmen are all rooting for you.

Sophomores
You’ve been here before and you know what to expect. Know what you are capable of and never forget it. If I could give you one piece of advice it would be to lead in the best way you know how for the freshmen. Help them through any adversity or struggle they may encounter throughout the season. Remember how new and nerve wrecking your first season was, and be the best guide you can for them.

Juniors
This is it. We’re finally upperclassmen and can say we’ve been through two seasons of softball. We have experience, we understand the grind of season, and we know what to anticipate. Be leaders in any way you can, and support the seniors who you know will experience a lot of emotions in their last season playing college softball. That will be you next year, so appreciate every little moment.

Seniors
I haven’t been one yet but I have seen the heart and soul the seniors before me have put into their final season. They helped build what the culture of our team is today, and for that I am extremely grateful. So seniors give it your all and know that everyone under you is fighting for your last season to be memorable. Whenever and wherever your last game is, know that the team will be there to help you through it every step of the way. Ending your softball career can’t be easy, but I hope each of you will see just how much joy this game has brought into your life and how much you have impacted those around you.

2020 Season
Season is the most special times of the year in my opinion due to each season being so unique in its own way. Each one contains its own trials, adversity, high and lows. So for for these next five to six months recommend fully embracing your tribe and staying together as a unit. Never again will you have this 2020 group of girls together on one team. So own it. Believe in it. And kick some butt this season. Wishing each team the absolute best of luck this year and cannot wait to continue to chat with you as we go throughout the 2020 softball season!

Heaven #1

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Our first team practice was AMAZING. My teammates and I really lived out our core values SHIP. Our core values are selfless, hardworking, impactful, hardworking. We could all tell everyone worked so hard over the break. We did the things that cannot be taught, such as, energy, effort and attitude. I was very impressed with everyone and was so happy to be back on the field with my wonderful teammates. The look on the Coaches’ face were priceless. They knew that this year was going to be something special. After that practice Coach Molly said “Wow, you guys are challenging us, I’m going to have to come with new drills because we are so far ahead.” When she said that it gave me chills. Knowing that our coach saw how hard we worked over break really set the tone for this new year. We will have some new faces on this year’s team because we graduated six seniors last year. Amber Coons is a Junior transfer and she said, “I’m most excited for the opportunity to make a positive impact on this team this season. I’m so ready to take the field in new colors this year and leave it all out on the field with my teammates by my side.” Hearing how excited Amber is to be on this team makes me very happy because we have taken her in just like she has already been here for three years. My teammates are one of a kind. Freshman Jacelyn Buck has already made a huge impact on the team so far. When asked what she was most excited about playing her freshman year, she said “I cannot wait for the opportunity to play with this new team and to do what I can to contribute and accomplish something amazing. I believe we have the potential to do great things this year. I’m just happy to be a part of this wonderful group of ladies and having the opportunity to fulfill my dreams of playing college softball.”  We have a special bond that will elevate our play on the field. We will do anything for each other on and off the field. I have had the privilege of being surrounded by people that believe in me just as a I believe in them.

As I go into my last year, I want to make it the best year yet. I wouldn’t trade last year for the world because of how much I grew as a person and a mentor for later in life. Last year taught me how to handle adversity and to just keep pressing on. When we got to conference tournament, we played free. We had nothing to lose and we showed everyone we were there to win. This year will be all about playing free and playing for each other. In my senior year, I want to make history. I want to go where no other ULM Warhawk softball team has never been before. I am going to lead my team in the right direction, and we are going to show everyone who we are. I have gotten the opportunity to talk about my team a lot this year, but my favorite thing to do was go to Shreveport, Louisiana and talk about how excited we are to play the USA Olympic Softball Team. It is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity and I will forever be grateful.

Knowing this is my last year playing as a ULM Warhawk, really has put everything in perspective. I am taking everything in while playing by some of the best girls in the nation. They really are my best friends and will be for a lifetime. It has truly been a blessing to wear ULM across my chest for the past three years and I can’t wait for season to start. The support that we have from our parents and the community really shows how much people are behind us this year. I would have never gotten here without God, my family, friends, past coaches and mentors. My family has been my rock since I got to ULM and I am forever grateful. God has given me this wonderful opportunity to play beside these girls one last time. I can’t wait for our home opener on February 7, 2020 against SFA.

The post Jayden Mount – Blog #1 appeared first on Justin's World of Softball.

My name is Molly Grumbo. I am a junior catcher majoring in Business Administration at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. Yes, LMU is a Division 1 University, currently at an RPI of 75. Loyola Marymount University is in the West Coast Conference- with other teams that include St. Mary’s, San Diego, Pacific, Santa Clara, and BYU. Our team has been practicing hard since January 13th. This year we play teams like UCLA (Apr. 20), Oregon (March 6), LSU (Feb. 27), Michigan (Feb. 28), and many more.

For those that do not know me, I am from Orange County, California. I have been playing softball since I was eight years old. I started playing in Cypress Recreational League in Cypress, CA. I started catching at the age of 10. I played for California Cruisers, Team Mizuno, and OC Batbusters. I have played for coaches like Jay Sievers, Robert Young, Mike Stith, and Mark Campbell. I had the privilege of taking lessons with Jen Schroeder and Mark Campbell. I went to Sunny Hills High School, where I played with Shay Knighten (Oklahoma) and Taylor Okada (Univ. of Maryland). In high school, I played third base my freshman year and was catcher from my sophomore to senior year. I also was a four-year varsity basketball starter.

Now a little about my family. My dad, Mike, is an extremely hard worker. He taught me to be strong, competitive, and disciplined. My mom, Sheila, is an amazing person and definitely my biggest fan! She taught me to be passionate, confident, and positive. My brother, Jordan, is the biggest goofball. Since we were five years apart, I was always trying to beat him in everything. Of course, he would never let me win. He taught me to always get up when I fall and never take anything lightly. The last member of the Grumbo family is our wiener dog, Princess. No, I did not name her- Jordan did. Our relationship has always been a love-hate relationship. My family loves to say I am Sid from Toy Story. HAHAHA

I am a Business Administration major. Once I graduate, I hope to work for a Fortune 500 company. This semester, I am taking 15 credits, which include a Public Relations class, three management classes, and a computer class. Loyola Marymount is a private Jesuit university. So, one of my classes includes how to incorporate your faith into business- which I find pretty cool. I also work with the LMU Athletic department, helping with events management… basically all the behind the scenes things that go into playing sports. I do things like making sure officials are taken care of and are on the court/field at the appropriate time; helping with ticketing; and doing laundry. So, with playing softball, traveling, working, and classes – my schedule is pretty busy.

Once everyone got back to school after the holidays, after traveling; binge-watching Netflix; eating way too much; and spending the much-needed family time, it was time to get to work. We hit the ground running with practice from 8:30-12:30am. In order to make sure everyone put in work over winter break, we had two conditioning tests, which were fun and nerve racking; every college player knows that queasy feeling you get when you are about to run the beep test. As long as you do what you are supposed to do over break and run your hardest, everyone does great. It was awesome to get everyone together! Our team has 9 freshmen, 6 sophomores, 7 juniors, and 1 senior. We have 5 transfers. We are coming off a good year having a 40-21 record. We finished second in conference behind BYU and finished third in the NISC tournament. Our goal is to do better than last year, win conference, and then win a national championship. I am super excited for this season to get started!

Hope you enjoyed reading my blog. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below and I will do my best answering them at the end on my next blog. Thank you for reading!

The post Molly Grumbo’s Blog – Entry #1 appeared first on Justin's World of Softball.

Introducing our 2020 Player Bloggers: Heaven Burton of Texas Tech; Molly Grumbo of Loyola Marymount; Mackenzie Lawter of Virginia Tech; and Jayden Mount of Louisiana-Monroe!

Burton is a redshirt junior outfielder at Texas Tech. Following an all-region and Big 12 all-freshman campaign in her redshirt freshman year, she earned her second consecutive all-conference honor with a second-team nod in 2019. The Round Rock, Texas native led her team during the ’19 season with twenty-two stolen bases, and finished second on the squad in hits and runs scored.

Grumbo is a junior catcher at Loyola Marymount. She earned her second consecutive all-West Coast Conference honor in 2019, with a nomination to the all-conference first team after earning a spot on the conference’s Honorable Mention team following her freshman season. She led the Lions in batting average, hits, and total bases during the 2019 season, and was named to the NISC All-Tournament Team in 2018.

Lawter is a junior catcher at Virginia Tech. A career .260 hitter, she earned the starting catcher’s spot for the Hokies before the 2019 season. She started forty-five games behind the plate last year and enjoyed a breakout season, recording a .278 batting average with eleven home runs and thirty RBIs. She is majoring in multimedia journalism and political science.

Mount is a senior infielder at Louisiana-Monroe. She batted .302 during the 2019 season, with seven home runs on the year – a mark that more than tripled the total of her next-closest teammate. Overall in her junior season, she led the Warhawks in five offensive categories. In her sophomore season, Mount was named second-team All-Sun Belt Conference at shortstop and also earned a second-team all-region nod that same year.

Each of the quartet of players will publish regular blog posts, and will discuss a variety of topics of their own choosing, including both on- and off-field happenings. New blog posts will be featured on the JWOS social media channels, and archived blog posts for each writer can be found on their unique blog page at justinsworldsb.com (click the Guest Bloggers tab).

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