39 | Overcoming NCAA Transfer Rules: Des Rivera’s Path to Iowa Softball

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER_02]: The transition was not easy.

[00:00:02] [SPEAKER_02]: Being around new girls, there was like newer attitudes,

[00:00:05] [SPEAKER_02]: new just everything.

[00:00:07] [SPEAKER_02]: And it put me in just a less, I wanna say,

[00:00:12] [SPEAKER_02]: a good type of uncomfortable

[00:00:13] [SPEAKER_02]: because I felt like I'm here to compete.

[00:00:17] [SPEAKER_02]: Things were less friendly

[00:00:18] [SPEAKER_02]: in the beginning of the transition

[00:00:20] [SPEAKER_02]: and more I'm here to take somebody's spot type of thing.

[00:00:23] [SPEAKER_02]: I think that's what really made me come out of my shell

[00:00:25] [SPEAKER_02]: and I performed really well

[00:00:27] [SPEAKER_02]: because there's that fire underneath

[00:00:28] [SPEAKER_02]: because things are just like not great for me right away

[00:00:30] [SPEAKER_02]: and I was even like, oh my God,

[00:00:31] [SPEAKER_02]: like mom should I have left?

[00:00:33] [SPEAKER_02]: And we had a lot of just doubt.

[00:00:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Hello and welcome to Catching You,

[00:00:37] [SPEAKER_00]: A Dad and Daughters Softball Journey.

[00:00:39] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Rusty, a dad who's been in the dugout

[00:00:42] [SPEAKER_00]: and on the sidelines.

[00:00:43] [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm Lacie,

[00:00:44] [SPEAKER_01]: a daughter whose journey through softball

[00:00:46] [SPEAKER_01]: has been filled with incredible wins, tough losses

[00:00:48] [SPEAKER_01]: and so many lessons both on and off the field.

[00:00:51] [SPEAKER_00]: For the past 16 years,

[00:00:53] [SPEAKER_00]: we've navigated the highs and lows of softball together

[00:00:56] [SPEAKER_00]: from the local fields to national tournaments

[00:00:58] [SPEAKER_00]: and everything in between.

[00:01:00] [SPEAKER_01]: From the challenges of recruitment during COVID

[00:01:02] [SPEAKER_01]: to the mental and emotional roller coaster

[00:01:03] [SPEAKER_01]: that comes with being a student athlete,

[00:01:05] [SPEAKER_01]: we'll be sharing the perspectives

[00:01:07] [SPEAKER_01]: of both the parent and athlete

[00:01:08] [SPEAKER_01]: and firsthand experience of the impact of sports

[00:01:11] [SPEAKER_01]: on mental health

[00:01:12] [SPEAKER_01]: and the importance of support from the sidelines.

[00:01:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome back everybody to the Catching You podcast.

[00:01:17] [SPEAKER_01]: My name is Lacie Ham.

[00:01:19] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm your cohost

[00:01:20] [SPEAKER_01]: and today with me is my friend, Des Rivera.

[00:01:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Say hi, Des.

[00:01:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Hi guys.

[00:01:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks for having me Lacie.

[00:01:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Of course.

[00:01:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Me and Des met on Mark Campbell's team in 14U.

[00:01:38] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, first year 14.

[00:01:39] [SPEAKER_01]: First year 14.

[00:01:40] [SPEAKER_01]: So she was my catcher.

[00:01:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Who else was catching?

[00:01:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Was it Lefty?

[00:01:45] [SPEAKER_01]: Lefty and then Arissa.

[00:01:48] [SPEAKER_01]: Arissa.

[00:01:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Riley.

[00:01:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Riley.

[00:01:51] [SPEAKER_01]: And then eventually we got Jossie.

[00:01:53] [SPEAKER_01]: Eventually, okay.

[00:01:55] [SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, that's where we met Batbusters.

[00:01:57] [SPEAKER_01]: Were you a Batbuster before or no?

[00:02:00] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I was with Batbusters.

[00:02:01] [SPEAKER_02]: That was my first travel team in 10U

[00:02:03] [SPEAKER_02]: and I stayed until first year 16s.

[00:02:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.

[00:02:08] [SPEAKER_01]: All right.

[00:02:08] [SPEAKER_01]: So let's go back to the beginning of your journey.

[00:02:12] [SPEAKER_01]: So like why you started playing softball

[00:02:14] [SPEAKER_01]: or like your T-ball days up until how about now

[00:02:18] [SPEAKER_01]: like going through high school and everything.

[00:02:20] [SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, tell me a little about that.

[00:02:23] [SPEAKER_02]: Okay, so I started playing really young

[00:02:25] [SPEAKER_02]: because my older sister played

[00:02:27] [SPEAKER_02]: and I was just like that annoying little sister

[00:02:29] [SPEAKER_02]: that I was always trying to get in her practices.

[00:02:31] [SPEAKER_02]: Like I had no business being there

[00:02:34] [SPEAKER_02]: and I was like in the Owlfield for no reason.

[00:02:36] [SPEAKER_02]: So that's where I started.

[00:02:37] [SPEAKER_02]: And then I played like a few years of 10U

[00:02:40] [SPEAKER_02]: cause I wasn't in a very competitive rec league.

[00:02:45] [SPEAKER_02]: So eventually like when I was nine or maybe 10 already

[00:02:48] [SPEAKER_02]: my parents decided to have me try out

[00:02:50] [SPEAKER_02]: for my first travel ball team and it was Batbusters.

[00:02:54] [SPEAKER_02]: So it was funny though, cause the night before

[00:02:56] [SPEAKER_02]: they were like prepping me to not make the team.

[00:02:58] [SPEAKER_02]: They're like, it's okay.

[00:02:59] [SPEAKER_02]: We just want to see where you're at

[00:03:01] [SPEAKER_02]: compared to other girls.

[00:03:03] [SPEAKER_02]: So they're like giving me a,

[00:03:04] [SPEAKER_02]: okay, try your best.

[00:03:05] [SPEAKER_02]: Try your best.

[00:03:06] [SPEAKER_02]: You're probably not gonna make it.

[00:03:07] [SPEAKER_02]: And I was like, okay.

[00:03:10] [SPEAKER_02]: But yeah, that's where I started.

[00:03:12] [SPEAKER_02]: I made that Batbuster team.

[00:03:14] [SPEAKER_02]: It was Kayla Chavez's dad.

[00:03:16] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, so that's where I started.

[00:03:18] [SPEAKER_02]: And just basically started playing

[00:03:20] [SPEAKER_02]: cause of my sister playing.

[00:03:21] [SPEAKER_02]: So that was like my biggest reason starting up.

[00:03:24] [SPEAKER_02]: I loved watching her play

[00:03:25] [SPEAKER_02]: and I just wanted to copy everything she did.

[00:03:28] [SPEAKER_02]: So I did exactly that.

[00:03:31] [SPEAKER_02]: And yeah, started off with Batbusters.

[00:03:33] [SPEAKER_02]: Stayed there for a few years.

[00:03:35] [SPEAKER_02]: I was always on a Batbuster team.

[00:03:37] [SPEAKER_02]: It's just got moved around coach to coach.

[00:03:39] [SPEAKER_02]: I eventually played for Richard MacArthur.

[00:03:42] [SPEAKER_02]: And then that's when Lacey and I met in 14 year.

[00:03:46] [SPEAKER_02]: We played together for two seasons.

[00:03:48] [SPEAKER_02]: And obviously I left Batbusters and I joined Mercado.

[00:03:53] [SPEAKER_02]: And that's, I think like when my recruiting

[00:03:57] [SPEAKER_02]: and everything started to turn around for me.

[00:04:00] [SPEAKER_02]: I just felt like I was a different player

[00:04:02] [SPEAKER_02]: with Mercado's team.

[00:04:04] [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.

[00:04:05] [SPEAKER_02]: I just played differently over there.

[00:04:07] [SPEAKER_02]: I was like always coached by great coaches.

[00:04:09] [SPEAKER_02]: Mark Campbell, Richard, Mike Stitt.

[00:04:12] [SPEAKER_02]: They were all awesome.

[00:04:13] [SPEAKER_02]: But I just played different when I got to athletics.

[00:04:16] [SPEAKER_02]: That's when like my recruiting started to really light up.

[00:04:20] [SPEAKER_02]: I feel and that was just like my travel ball.

[00:04:22] [SPEAKER_02]: Come up, started with Batbusters.

[00:04:24] [SPEAKER_02]: Finished three years of athletics.

[00:04:25] [SPEAKER_02]: Got to play with Dave, which is cool.

[00:04:28] [SPEAKER_02]: Won a couple national championships with him.

[00:04:31] [SPEAKER_02]: And yeah.

[00:04:33] [SPEAKER_02]: All right.

[00:04:33] [SPEAKER_01]: And then what was I gonna say?

[00:04:37] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, like you're going back to what you said about

[00:04:41] [SPEAKER_01]: you felt like a different player.

[00:04:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Because after I left Batbusters,

[00:04:49] [SPEAKER_01]: I went to Mercado as well.

[00:04:51] [SPEAKER_01]: I was on Greg's team.

[00:04:55] [SPEAKER_01]: Which I mean it was hard because

[00:04:58] [SPEAKER_01]: you build like this family and travel ball for so long

[00:05:02] [SPEAKER_01]: and then you have to leave it.

[00:05:04] [SPEAKER_01]: So like how did you feel like having to create

[00:05:07] [SPEAKER_01]: like brand new friends,

[00:05:10] [SPEAKER_01]: brand new like basically softball family

[00:05:12] [SPEAKER_01]: like from scratch?

[00:05:13] [SPEAKER_01]: You were a bit younger than I was when you did that.

[00:05:16] [SPEAKER_01]: So describe like how that changed how you played.

[00:05:22] [SPEAKER_02]: Honestly, like I think the change is what motivated me

[00:05:27] [SPEAKER_02]: and really made me like come out of my shell

[00:05:29] [SPEAKER_02]: because the transition was not easy.

[00:05:31] [SPEAKER_02]: Being around new girls, there was like newer attitudes.

[00:05:34] [SPEAKER_02]: New just everything.

[00:05:37] [SPEAKER_02]: And it put me in just a less,

[00:05:39] [SPEAKER_02]: I wanna say a good type of uncomfortable

[00:05:42] [SPEAKER_02]: because I felt like I'm here to compete.

[00:05:46] [SPEAKER_02]: Things were less friendly in the beginning

[00:05:48] [SPEAKER_02]: of the transition and more I'm here

[00:05:50] [SPEAKER_02]: to take somebody's spot type of thing.

[00:05:52] [SPEAKER_02]: I think that's what really made me come out of my shell

[00:05:55] [SPEAKER_02]: and I performed really well

[00:05:56] [SPEAKER_02]: because there's that fire under me

[00:05:58] [SPEAKER_02]: because things are just like not great for me right away

[00:05:59] [SPEAKER_02]: and I was even like, oh my God,

[00:06:01] [SPEAKER_02]: like mom should I have left?

[00:06:02] [SPEAKER_02]: And we had a lot of just doubt,

[00:06:05] [SPEAKER_02]: but after it was like,

[00:06:06] [SPEAKER_02]: I don't wanna say this is the reason why,

[00:06:08] [SPEAKER_02]: but I felt as I started to play better that time,

[00:06:11] [SPEAKER_02]: like more people come around you

[00:06:13] [SPEAKER_02]: and are nicer to you unfortunately.

[00:06:15] [SPEAKER_02]: And same as in college a little bit.

[00:06:18] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, definitely.

[00:06:19] [SPEAKER_02]: Though it wasn't like an easy start,

[00:06:21] [SPEAKER_02]: but like in 16s I would say

[00:06:23] [SPEAKER_02]: when I first got to Greg's team,

[00:06:26] [SPEAKER_02]: that was definitely what made things different for me

[00:06:28] [SPEAKER_02]: and then obviously I went to Dave's

[00:06:30] [SPEAKER_02]: and I was in like one of the most

[00:06:32] [SPEAKER_02]: like family like environments that I've ever had.

[00:06:34] [SPEAKER_02]: Dave, I know he's like a hard butt on the field,

[00:06:39] [SPEAKER_02]: but he's like a big teddy bear outside of that.

[00:06:41] [SPEAKER_02]: Mark is awesome.

[00:06:42] [SPEAKER_02]: We had Brian Pylon for a little bit

[00:06:44] [SPEAKER_02]: and they were just like awesome people.

[00:06:46] [SPEAKER_02]: Like they're like your second, third and fourth dads

[00:06:50] [SPEAKER_02]: and they're just fun to play for.

[00:06:52] [SPEAKER_02]: The girls are all there for the right reason

[00:06:54] [SPEAKER_02]: which made it fun.

[00:06:55] [SPEAKER_02]: And obviously it was so competitive.

[00:06:57] [SPEAKER_02]: I was still there to fight for a spot,

[00:06:58] [SPEAKER_02]: but then you're just like around quality people

[00:07:01] [SPEAKER_02]: that like push you and it was awesome.

[00:07:04] [SPEAKER_02]: I loved being over there.

[00:07:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I did really love that organization too.

[00:07:09] [SPEAKER_01]: That's where like recruiting was like,

[00:07:13] [SPEAKER_01]: it was so new to me.

[00:07:14] [SPEAKER_01]: It was so new because they never talked about it

[00:07:18] [SPEAKER_01]: really with as you move up in the Batbusters.

[00:07:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Like that I've talked about it before.

[00:07:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Like the colleges have to come to you.

[00:07:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, no camps.

[00:07:27] [SPEAKER_01]: No, it was crazy and it was very new

[00:07:29] [SPEAKER_01]: and then that's like how Greg introduced me

[00:07:32] [SPEAKER_01]: to all this like recruiting things.

[00:07:33] [SPEAKER_01]: And like I visited UNC and then basically just COVID happened.

[00:07:37] [SPEAKER_01]: So that was just like all these obstacles

[00:07:39] [SPEAKER_01]: that yeah, you have to go through.

[00:07:42] [SPEAKER_01]: But did you have any trouble like with COVID?

[00:07:44] [SPEAKER_01]: You committed before COVID happened, right?

[00:07:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I did.

[00:07:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, so with like your recruiting,

[00:07:49] [SPEAKER_01]: how did that go for you?

[00:07:51] [SPEAKER_01]: What were the different types of ways

[00:07:52] [SPEAKER_01]: that were coaches reaching out to you?

[00:07:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Were you reaching out to coaches?

[00:07:56] [SPEAKER_01]: What was happening?

[00:07:57] [SPEAKER_02]: So like throughout the summer of my sophomore year,

[00:08:00] [SPEAKER_02]: I was reaching out to coaches.

[00:08:02] [SPEAKER_02]: And the one thing with athletics was

[00:08:05] [SPEAKER_02]: I felt like I never was aware of how many schools

[00:08:08] [SPEAKER_02]: there really were growing up with Batbusters,

[00:08:11] [SPEAKER_02]: especially the teams that we were on.

[00:08:12] [SPEAKER_02]: Cause the teams that we were on,

[00:08:13] [SPEAKER_02]: we were seeing girls commit to Oklahoma, Arizona,

[00:08:17] [SPEAKER_02]: UCLA, Florida.

[00:08:18] [SPEAKER_02]: It felt like that was all that there was in the world.

[00:08:21] [SPEAKER_02]: And if it wasn't that, I was like,

[00:08:23] [SPEAKER_02]: what else am I gonna do?

[00:08:24] [SPEAKER_02]: And at the time that was like the player that I was

[00:08:27] [SPEAKER_02]: and then I felt like where I was gonna end up.

[00:08:29] [SPEAKER_02]: So yeah, being with Mercado,

[00:08:31] [SPEAKER_02]: I just realized how many more schools were out there.

[00:08:32] [SPEAKER_02]: And I started to reach out a ton my sophomore year.

[00:08:35] [SPEAKER_02]: Obviously they couldn't get in contact with us.

[00:08:37] [SPEAKER_02]: So I wasn't like hearing anything back,

[00:08:39] [SPEAKER_02]: but there was like communication between schools

[00:08:41] [SPEAKER_02]: and my coaches and they would relay to me like,

[00:08:44] [SPEAKER_02]: hey, like you should go to this camp, wink.

[00:08:47] [SPEAKER_02]: So then yeah, it was just a lot of email writing.

[00:08:50] [SPEAKER_02]: So embarrassing.

[00:08:51] [SPEAKER_02]: Like there was, you don't know how many times

[00:08:53] [SPEAKER_02]: I would like copy and paste the email

[00:08:54] [SPEAKER_02]: and forget to page the coach's name.

[00:08:56] [SPEAKER_02]: I was like, oh my God.

[00:08:57] [SPEAKER_01]: My dad was talking about that.

[00:08:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Like before I left for like college here

[00:09:02] [SPEAKER_01]: during the summer, he was like,

[00:09:04] [SPEAKER_01]: you cc'd me on some emails

[00:09:06] [SPEAKER_01]: and that's probably why they didn't get the next email.

[00:09:09] [SPEAKER_02]: Like hey, sorry, I know you're not Heather Carr,

[00:09:13] [SPEAKER_02]: wrong coach.

[00:09:14] [SPEAKER_02]: But I've done that like a few times

[00:09:17] [SPEAKER_02]: even in the transfer process, I did that.

[00:09:19] [SPEAKER_02]: I was like, oh, there you go.

[00:09:21] [SPEAKER_02]: But yeah, just a lot of email writing

[00:09:24] [SPEAKER_02]: and Mercado would hold like organizational camps.

[00:09:28] [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know if you remember those,

[00:09:30] [SPEAKER_02]: but it was like you didn't have to pay to get in.

[00:09:33] [SPEAKER_02]: I don't think so.

[00:09:34] [SPEAKER_02]: But teams would go at different times

[00:09:36] [SPEAKER_02]: and they would invite a bunch of coaches

[00:09:37] [SPEAKER_02]: and I just watched like this practice type of thing.

[00:09:40] [SPEAKER_02]: So they were usually, I remember Rosetta Canyon.

[00:09:43] [SPEAKER_02]: We had so many coaches everywhere

[00:09:46] [SPEAKER_02]: and that's where I remember my mom,

[00:09:49] [SPEAKER_02]: we were at like the camp.

[00:09:52] [SPEAKER_02]: She was there watching me and she saw Eric Leiba

[00:09:55] [SPEAKER_02]: from Oregon State and she said that he got up

[00:09:58] [SPEAKER_02]: and was asking like, oh, who is she?

[00:10:00] [SPEAKER_02]: Because my number was wrong on the paper.

[00:10:01] [SPEAKER_02]: So my mom's all like getting excited and stuff.

[00:10:04] [SPEAKER_02]: She came back and told me,

[00:10:05] [SPEAKER_02]: I was like, oh, it's probably not a big deal.

[00:10:07] [SPEAKER_02]: And then weeks passed, September 1st hits

[00:10:09] [SPEAKER_02]: and then they ended up reaching out to me.

[00:10:11] [SPEAKER_02]: So I was like, oh, that's funny.

[00:10:12] [SPEAKER_02]: But I was like, no,

[00:10:13] [SPEAKER_02]: they weren't actually looking at me.

[00:10:16] [SPEAKER_02]: But yeah, that's how it went.

[00:10:17] [SPEAKER_02]: Then September 1st, I got some calls.

[00:10:20] [SPEAKER_02]: I was planning on setting up some visits

[00:10:22] [SPEAKER_02]: throughout the fall,

[00:10:24] [SPEAKER_02]: but Oregon State wanted me to go out

[00:10:25] [SPEAKER_02]: that following weekend for an unofficial

[00:10:27] [SPEAKER_02]: and I ended up committing immediately.

[00:10:30] [SPEAKER_02]: Was it really?

[00:10:32] [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know, I really loved it

[00:10:34] [SPEAKER_02]: and I did wanna see more schools at first

[00:10:37] [SPEAKER_02]: just cause I wanted to compare campuses,

[00:10:39] [SPEAKER_02]: compare coaching, compare facilities,

[00:10:42] [SPEAKER_02]: but they offered me at that camp in the unofficial

[00:10:46] [SPEAKER_02]: and I actually didn't take the offer right away

[00:10:48] [SPEAKER_02]: cause I was setting up other visits with other schools.

[00:10:52] [SPEAKER_02]: And I ended up leaving and I was like, thank you so much.

[00:10:54] [SPEAKER_02]: I'll take some time to figure some stuff out.

[00:10:56] [SPEAKER_02]: And I called Greg.

[00:10:58] [SPEAKER_02]: So I called him and I was like,

[00:10:59] [SPEAKER_02]: hey, Oregon State offered me,

[00:11:01] [SPEAKER_02]: he took it right?

[00:11:02] [SPEAKER_02]: And I was like, no.

[00:11:03] [SPEAKER_02]: And he was like,

[00:11:04] [SPEAKER_02]: how many other packed total of offers

[00:11:06] [SPEAKER_02]: do you have with that money?

[00:11:07] [SPEAKER_02]: And I was like, none.

[00:11:08] [SPEAKER_02]: And he was like, go back in there

[00:11:09] [SPEAKER_02]: and take it right now.

[00:11:10] [SPEAKER_02]: So I was like, okay.

[00:11:11] [SPEAKER_02]: So then I run back to the office

[00:11:12] [SPEAKER_02]: and I'm like knocking on the door

[00:11:14] [SPEAKER_02]: and I was like, hey, you know, I'll take it.

[00:11:18] [SPEAKER_02]: So that's funny.

[00:11:19] [SPEAKER_02]: So that's how I committed.

[00:11:21] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

[00:11:21] [SPEAKER_02]: It worked out like I had a good experience there to start

[00:11:26] [SPEAKER_02]: and I thought it was like a good place for me to be.

[00:11:29] [SPEAKER_02]: Obviously we went to the world series and stuff.

[00:11:31] [SPEAKER_02]: It was awesome.

[00:11:33] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I don't have any regrets with how my process went

[00:11:36] [SPEAKER_02]: or like where I landed at first.

[00:11:38] [SPEAKER_02]: That's a funny story with Greg.

[00:11:40] [SPEAKER_02]: I can see him saying that.

[00:11:42] [SPEAKER_02]: I know, I was so embarrassed.

[00:11:43] [SPEAKER_02]: I was like shaking when I knocked on the door.

[00:11:45] [SPEAKER_02]: I was like, hey, Dutch.

[00:11:47] [SPEAKER_02]: You're like, what if they took him back?

[00:11:49] [SPEAKER_02]: Please tell me.

[00:11:51] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I would be nervous as well.

[00:11:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, thanks.

[00:11:55] [SPEAKER_01]: But Greg was awesome with recruiting and stuff

[00:11:57] [SPEAKER_01]: and I totally admired that you took that chance

[00:12:02] [SPEAKER_01]: to like switch over and go through

[00:12:04] [SPEAKER_01]: with being in Mercado and stuff.

[00:12:07] [SPEAKER_01]: And it seemed just like a whole different world.

[00:12:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Like I felt like I was in this bubble

[00:12:14] [SPEAKER_01]: that I didn't even know what was like out there.

[00:12:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, definitely.

[00:12:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Girls would describe like their Corona Angel experience.

[00:12:21] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm like, wow, Hell Week.

[00:12:23] [SPEAKER_01]: I know.

[00:12:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Hell Week is like every weekend for us,

[00:12:27] [SPEAKER_01]: like all this stuff and it's just so crazy.

[00:12:30] [SPEAKER_01]: It's so crazy.

[00:12:31] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, now to present day,

[00:12:34] [SPEAKER_01]: you're at University of Iowa.

[00:12:36] [SPEAKER_01]: Remember that?

[00:12:37] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, my last interview was with my good friend,

[00:12:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Sarah, who transferred from University of Hawaii, Gila

[00:12:48] [SPEAKER_01]: to Cal State Dominguez Hills.

[00:12:50] [SPEAKER_01]: And she just felt like it wasn't like her the right fit

[00:12:53] [SPEAKER_01]: and she found her new family at her new school.

[00:12:57] [SPEAKER_01]: So walk us through like maybe a summary

[00:12:59] [SPEAKER_01]: of why you decided to transfer

[00:13:01] [SPEAKER_01]: or what were the main points,

[00:13:02] [SPEAKER_01]: just go through that process of where you're at now.

[00:13:05] [SPEAKER_02]: Okay, like one of the big reasons,

[00:13:08] [SPEAKER_02]: which is like pretty easy to guess

[00:13:10] [SPEAKER_02]: was like the whole realignment.

[00:13:12] [SPEAKER_02]: I knew, you know, I wasn't happy

[00:13:15] [SPEAKER_02]: with the way everything was changing and it sucked.

[00:13:16] [SPEAKER_02]: It was so sad because like I've always loved playing

[00:13:19] [SPEAKER_02]: in the Pac-12, like growing up,

[00:13:21] [SPEAKER_02]: that was the only conference I ever watched.

[00:13:23] [SPEAKER_02]: I always went to like Pac-12, UCLA games

[00:13:26] [SPEAKER_02]: and like that was just local.

[00:13:27] [SPEAKER_02]: Like I loved doing that.

[00:13:29] [SPEAKER_02]: So the whole realignment made me like super unsure

[00:13:32] [SPEAKER_02]: about our future.

[00:13:34] [SPEAKER_02]: And when I had left,

[00:13:35] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm pretty sure we hadn't found

[00:13:37] [SPEAKER_02]: the West Coast Conference yet

[00:13:39] [SPEAKER_02]: because I'm mid-year transferred.

[00:13:40] [SPEAKER_02]: So things weren't like set in place yet.

[00:13:43] [SPEAKER_02]: All we knew is Oregon State and Washington State,

[00:13:45] [SPEAKER_02]: obviously the office of all team,

[00:13:46] [SPEAKER_02]: but we were just the team that got left out

[00:13:49] [SPEAKER_02]: when everyone was finding new power four conferences.

[00:13:52] [SPEAKER_02]: So that was like one big part of it.

[00:13:54] [SPEAKER_02]: And then the next thing was just like,

[00:13:57] [SPEAKER_02]: I've always had a dream and like ideas

[00:14:00] [SPEAKER_02]: for how I wanted my like college career to go.

[00:14:03] [SPEAKER_02]: And I felt to start,

[00:14:05] [SPEAKER_02]: I was like getting to places I didn't think I would.

[00:14:08] [SPEAKER_02]: Like I never, like as much as you dream

[00:14:10] [SPEAKER_02]: of going to the World Series or like any of that.

[00:14:13] [SPEAKER_02]: And like obviously I always went into each year

[00:14:15] [SPEAKER_02]: as saying that's what I'm gonna work towards.

[00:14:17] [SPEAKER_02]: That's what's gonna happen.

[00:14:18] [SPEAKER_02]: But like the reality of that happening is so low.

[00:14:22] [SPEAKER_02]: So making that happen like with my team was awesome.

[00:14:25] [SPEAKER_02]: But then moving forward, like as the year changed,

[00:14:28] [SPEAKER_02]: I felt like I was no longer in a place

[00:14:31] [SPEAKER_02]: where I can make those things

[00:14:32] [SPEAKER_02]: and those dreams that I had as a little girl happen.

[00:14:35] [SPEAKER_02]: Which isn't even just like going

[00:14:36] [SPEAKER_02]: to the World Series or anything.

[00:14:38] [SPEAKER_02]: Just the goals that I had for myself

[00:14:40] [SPEAKER_02]: and the player that I wanted to be in college,

[00:14:42] [SPEAKER_02]: I felt like I wasn't gonna get that where I was anymore.

[00:14:45] [SPEAKER_02]: So it just felt like it was in my best interest

[00:14:47] [SPEAKER_02]: to try to find a new program.

[00:14:49] [SPEAKER_02]: And when I was like in my recruiting process again,

[00:14:52] [SPEAKER_02]: all of the things that I felt like I was missing

[00:14:55] [SPEAKER_02]: or didn't really like that were happening in my program,

[00:14:58] [SPEAKER_02]: that's really what I was paying attention

[00:15:00] [SPEAKER_02]: for moving forward.

[00:15:01] [SPEAKER_02]: It didn't really matter to me

[00:15:03] [SPEAKER_02]: whether it was a power five or just anything.

[00:15:05] [SPEAKER_02]: I knew I wanted to stay D1.

[00:15:07] [SPEAKER_02]: But I was just looking for like those changes

[00:15:10] [SPEAKER_02]: that I felt I needed.

[00:15:12] [SPEAKER_02]: And luckily I was like able to find that.

[00:15:14] [SPEAKER_02]: It was really tough transferring mid-year

[00:15:16] [SPEAKER_02]: because schools just aren't looking for someone.

[00:15:18] [SPEAKER_02]: And I couldn't play anyway, I had a red shirt.

[00:15:21] [SPEAKER_02]: So it's okay, who wants to pick up a catcher

[00:15:23] [SPEAKER_02]: that can't play?

[00:15:25] [SPEAKER_02]: And we're willing, but they're like,

[00:15:26] [SPEAKER_02]: sorry, you're not gonna get any money.

[00:15:28] [SPEAKER_02]: And I'm like, yeah.

[00:15:30] [SPEAKER_01]: But then also schools are looking

[00:15:33] [SPEAKER_01]: for like bullpen catchers for the season.

[00:15:36] [SPEAKER_01]: So I was.

[00:15:37] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:15:37] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if this makes you.

[00:15:39] [SPEAKER_01]: And I don't hear anything.

[00:15:41] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, what's happening in the gate?

[00:15:45] [SPEAKER_02]: But yeah, I found Iowa.

[00:15:48] [SPEAKER_02]: They, the thing that really set them apart for me

[00:15:50] [SPEAKER_02]: from the other schools that were reaching out

[00:15:52] [SPEAKER_02]: was how quick they were trying to make things happen.

[00:15:54] [SPEAKER_02]: They set up a visit within a week for me.

[00:15:57] [SPEAKER_02]: They were like communicating constantly.

[00:15:59] [SPEAKER_02]: I've heard from three out of the four

[00:16:01] [SPEAKER_02]: of the coaches right away.

[00:16:02] [SPEAKER_02]: And they were just showing a lot of interest in me.

[00:16:04] [SPEAKER_02]: And I really respected their values

[00:16:06] [SPEAKER_02]: and the culture that they were trying to set for the team.

[00:16:09] [SPEAKER_02]: Going into my visit, I already had really high hopes.

[00:16:12] [SPEAKER_02]: I also really loved like how serious

[00:16:13] [SPEAKER_02]: they took women's sports here at Iowa.

[00:16:15] [SPEAKER_02]: Like they do not play.

[00:16:16] [SPEAKER_02]: This is, they always say the epicenter of women's sports

[00:16:19] [SPEAKER_02]: and they are so serious about that, which is awesome.

[00:16:21] [SPEAKER_02]: I ended up loving my visit and I didn't take any more.

[00:16:24] [SPEAKER_02]: This was the only visit I took.

[00:16:26] [SPEAKER_02]: Went home, took some time to figure things out,

[00:16:28] [SPEAKER_02]: talked to some more coaches and accepted the offer.

[00:16:32] [SPEAKER_02]: And it was just crazy cause I feel like

[00:16:34] [SPEAKER_02]: there were things when I started playing with Iowa

[00:16:37] [SPEAKER_02]: that I was like, oh my gosh, I knew I didn't like this

[00:16:40] [SPEAKER_02]: or that I wanted this when I was leaving Oregon State.

[00:16:42] [SPEAKER_02]: But I was like open to so many new things

[00:16:44] [SPEAKER_02]: that were like, oh my gosh,

[00:16:45] [SPEAKER_02]: I've been missing out on this and that.

[00:16:48] [SPEAKER_02]: And I just was like blinded because all I'm used to

[00:16:51] [SPEAKER_02]: is the way that Oregon State ran things

[00:16:53] [SPEAKER_02]: and the way I lived my life over there.

[00:16:56] [SPEAKER_02]: So then when I got here,

[00:16:57] [SPEAKER_02]: I realized like how much more there was for me.

[00:17:00] [SPEAKER_02]: So it was a really good transition.

[00:17:02] [SPEAKER_02]: I am very happy.

[00:17:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Cause you're also playing with our other old teammate,

[00:17:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Tatiana, which is awesome because my family

[00:17:13] [SPEAKER_01]: super close with her family and like,

[00:17:15] [SPEAKER_01]: she was on Mark's team with us, right?

[00:17:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:17:18] [SPEAKER_01]: That's so fun.

[00:17:19] [SPEAKER_01]: I know it's a great time.

[00:17:20] [SPEAKER_01]: We have a great time.

[00:17:22] [SPEAKER_01]: I see really cute pictures of all of you

[00:17:24] [SPEAKER_01]: at like football games.

[00:17:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, who was I gonna ask?

[00:17:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, about you not playing.

[00:17:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Cause you had a red shirt because you transferred mid year.

[00:17:35] [SPEAKER_01]: So that's it.

[00:17:37] [SPEAKER_01]: It's an NCAA rule, right?

[00:17:38] [SPEAKER_01]: So you're a transfer mid year after the first semester,

[00:17:41] [SPEAKER_01]: you can't play in the spring.

[00:17:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Yes.

[00:17:45] [SPEAKER_01]: The spring sport.

[00:17:47] [SPEAKER_01]: So how did you feel like,

[00:17:49] [SPEAKER_01]: cause now you're at Iowa and there you have,

[00:17:52] [SPEAKER_01]: you have different coaches, principals, teammates,

[00:17:57] [SPEAKER_01]: campus, all of that.

[00:17:58] [SPEAKER_01]: But then you're told, but you can't play.

[00:18:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, you can't play football.

[00:18:03] [SPEAKER_01]: And cause a lot of what I want to talk about on here

[00:18:05] [SPEAKER_01]: as well as the mental side,

[00:18:07] [SPEAKER_01]: cause that's what I'm gonna go into after college.

[00:18:10] [SPEAKER_01]: So how did you, it's not an injury,

[00:18:12] [SPEAKER_01]: but I feel like it feels like an injury.

[00:18:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:18:15] [SPEAKER_01]: You know what I'm saying?

[00:18:16] [SPEAKER_01]: So tell me how you like got through that

[00:18:19] [SPEAKER_01]: or like what you were thinking

[00:18:20] [SPEAKER_01]: throughout the whole season,

[00:18:22] [SPEAKER_01]: just trying to go through the season

[00:18:25] [SPEAKER_01]: without being able to even step on the field.

[00:18:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Let's take a quick break.

[00:18:33] [SPEAKER_00]: If you want to leave us a message,

[00:18:35] [SPEAKER_00]: use the link in the show notes.

[00:18:36] [SPEAKER_00]: And if you want us to respond,

[00:18:38] [SPEAKER_00]: leave your name and email address.

[00:18:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Also please rate us and or leave a review

[00:18:44] [SPEAKER_00]: as we're trying to grow the show every day.

[00:18:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Finally, Lacey and I both love coffee.

[00:18:49] [SPEAKER_00]: We would greatly appreciate any contribution to the show.

[00:18:52] [SPEAKER_00]: That link is also in the show notes.

[00:18:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you.

[00:18:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Take care.

[00:19:00] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, it was honestly so hard

[00:19:02] [SPEAKER_02]: because like you're just watching like your team go to war

[00:19:06] [SPEAKER_02]: and you're watching like the ups and the downs,

[00:19:08] [SPEAKER_02]: knowing like there's not much you can do.

[00:19:11] [SPEAKER_02]: So it was just really like important for me

[00:19:14] [SPEAKER_02]: that I was able to help however I can.

[00:19:17] [SPEAKER_02]: So if that man catching bullpens at practice,

[00:19:20] [SPEAKER_02]: like as much as it sucked sometimes

[00:19:21] [SPEAKER_02]: cause I wanted to like actually be getting reps,

[00:19:24] [SPEAKER_02]: I just got back and realized,

[00:19:25] [SPEAKER_02]: okay this is what's gonna be best for the team right now

[00:19:27] [SPEAKER_02]: or at a batting practice,

[00:19:29] [SPEAKER_02]: like sitting out to make sure everyone that could play

[00:19:31] [SPEAKER_02]: could get reps or taking time to throw lives to girls

[00:19:35] [SPEAKER_02]: just to make sure.

[00:19:36] [SPEAKER_02]: I just really had to realize this is how I'm gonna make

[00:19:39] [SPEAKER_02]: the most or the best impact for the team.

[00:19:42] [SPEAKER_02]: And I don't know,

[00:19:43] [SPEAKER_02]: in a way to not being able to play this year

[00:19:46] [SPEAKER_02]: motivated me crazy cause having a season taken away

[00:19:50] [SPEAKER_02]: just made me realize how much I cared about softball.

[00:19:53] [SPEAKER_02]: I felt, oh my gosh,

[00:19:54] [SPEAKER_02]: I would die to be playing right now.

[00:19:55] [SPEAKER_02]: And I've never had to heal that way

[00:19:57] [SPEAKER_02]: because I've always been fortunate enough

[00:19:59] [SPEAKER_02]: to be on the field.

[00:20:00] [SPEAKER_02]: It just made me realize,

[00:20:01] [SPEAKER_02]: oh my God, I've spent these last two years

[00:20:03] [SPEAKER_02]: just not realizing how special and lucky I am

[00:20:06] [SPEAKER_02]: to be able to be playing.

[00:20:08] [SPEAKER_02]: It just really opened up this new idea for me

[00:20:11] [SPEAKER_02]: and just changed my perspective on being able to even play.

[00:20:15] [SPEAKER_02]: So even though I couldn't play,

[00:20:16] [SPEAKER_02]: I think I put in more work than I like ever have

[00:20:18] [SPEAKER_02]: in my life.

[00:20:19] [SPEAKER_02]: I was going in doing like extra lifts.

[00:20:22] [SPEAKER_02]: I was hitting whenever I could,

[00:20:24] [SPEAKER_02]: always just trying to do the most

[00:20:25] [SPEAKER_02]: because I was like, God,

[00:20:27] [SPEAKER_02]: I wish I could be playing right now.

[00:20:29] [SPEAKER_02]: So yeah, that was a big part for me

[00:20:31] [SPEAKER_02]: was just like realizing,

[00:20:32] [SPEAKER_02]: I was taking everything for granted

[00:20:35] [SPEAKER_02]: and I wish that I did more in my first two years.

[00:20:38] [SPEAKER_02]: So although it sucked,

[00:20:40] [SPEAKER_02]: I think in a way it worked out

[00:20:42] [SPEAKER_02]: because it allowed me to realize

[00:20:44] [SPEAKER_02]: what I was gonna be missing.

[00:20:46] [SPEAKER_02]: But it was nice to know that my year back

[00:20:49] [SPEAKER_02]: is not like I just lost it.

[00:20:50] [SPEAKER_02]: I got two more to go

[00:20:51] [SPEAKER_02]: and I know where I need to be at mentally

[00:20:54] [SPEAKER_02]: now moving forward

[00:20:55] [SPEAKER_02]: and what it's gonna take

[00:20:57] [SPEAKER_02]: so I don't leave my college career with any regrets

[00:20:59] [SPEAKER_02]: because if this not happened,

[00:21:01] [SPEAKER_02]: I could have had plans.

[00:21:02] [SPEAKER_01]: He said a lot this year.

[00:21:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's crazy to think

[00:21:06] [SPEAKER_01]: that it could just be like ripped from you, right?

[00:21:09] [SPEAKER_01]: And that's what I've been thinking is

[00:21:10] [SPEAKER_01]: this is my last year.

[00:21:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Like I said, like you,

[00:21:14] [SPEAKER_01]: you have one more year

[00:21:15] [SPEAKER_01]: because you transferred mid-year.

[00:21:17] [SPEAKER_01]: And I mean,

[00:21:18] [SPEAKER_01]: I've been at San Jose State

[00:21:20] [SPEAKER_01]: for this is my fourth year now

[00:21:21] [SPEAKER_01]: and I don't have a COVID year.

[00:21:23] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't have a red shirt year.

[00:21:24] [SPEAKER_01]: I just lived the whole college experience,

[00:21:26] [SPEAKER_01]: the four years.

[00:21:28] [SPEAKER_01]: And it's crazy to think about.

[00:21:31] [SPEAKER_01]: And people have been asking me recently,

[00:21:32] [SPEAKER_01]: like how do you feel about it being your last year?

[00:21:35] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm like ask me in May or something.

[00:21:37] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't wanna think about it right now

[00:21:40] [SPEAKER_01]: because everyone's told me

[00:21:42] [SPEAKER_01]: throughout my whole college career,

[00:21:44] [SPEAKER_01]: like stay grounded, stay present in the moment you are.

[00:21:47] [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm like,

[00:21:47] [SPEAKER_01]: so why are you asking me all these questions

[00:21:49] [SPEAKER_01]: about how do you feel about your career ending?

[00:21:53] [SPEAKER_01]: And what do I think about that right now?

[00:21:55] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, and honestly everyone says it flies,

[00:21:57] [SPEAKER_02]: but oh my God, it flies so.

[00:22:02] [SPEAKER_01]: And I was, yeah,

[00:22:03] [SPEAKER_01]: I was getting Snapchat memories of freshman year

[00:22:06] [SPEAKER_01]: and the start of the first few days of freshman year.

[00:22:09] [SPEAKER_01]: And it's us making friends

[00:22:11] [SPEAKER_01]: with the guys across the hall.

[00:22:12] [SPEAKER_01]: They're like all the freshmen softball girls

[00:22:16] [SPEAKER_01]: getting super close, super quick.

[00:22:17] [SPEAKER_01]: And it's now it's just,

[00:22:18] [SPEAKER_01]: I have one more year of that

[00:22:20] [SPEAKER_01]: and it's just insane.

[00:22:22] [SPEAKER_01]: But like you said,

[00:22:23] [SPEAKER_01]: like taking it for granted.

[00:22:25] [SPEAKER_01]: So I think a lot of people do take it for granted.

[00:22:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and we're very lucky to be

[00:22:29] [SPEAKER_01]: in like the position we are now.

[00:22:32] [SPEAKER_01]: And obviously you've had your ups and downs

[00:22:35] [SPEAKER_01]: and so have I.

[00:22:36] [SPEAKER_01]: So I wanted to like go through that,

[00:22:38] [SPEAKER_01]: go to that and be like

[00:22:39] [SPEAKER_01]: what has been probably your roughest,

[00:22:43] [SPEAKER_01]: your like highest moment in softball

[00:22:45] [SPEAKER_01]: and your lowest moment?

[00:22:48] [SPEAKER_02]: Definitely I think my highest

[00:22:49] [SPEAKER_02]: and lowest were happening at the same time.

[00:22:52] [SPEAKER_02]: Weirdly freshman year post season.

[00:22:56] [SPEAKER_02]: I was like, this is so embarrassing to even remember

[00:23:00] [SPEAKER_02]: but I was like O for regionals

[00:23:03] [SPEAKER_02]: and O for super regionals.

[00:23:06] [SPEAKER_02]: And I was just like, can I please just get on beat?

[00:23:10] [SPEAKER_02]: I don't care how it is.

[00:23:11] [SPEAKER_02]: Like I'm gonna lean into this pitch.

[00:23:13] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm gonna do literally whatever it takes

[00:23:15] [SPEAKER_02]: but it just sucked so bad

[00:23:17] [SPEAKER_02]: because I felt okay, I'm in here for a reason

[00:23:20] [SPEAKER_02]: but I just felt like I did not deserve to be on that field.

[00:23:23] [SPEAKER_02]: I was doing so horribly, like mentally.

[00:23:26] [SPEAKER_02]: It was so hard cause we're moving

[00:23:28] [SPEAKER_02]: and like our team's doing well.

[00:23:30] [SPEAKER_02]: We're getting hot at the right time.

[00:23:31] [SPEAKER_02]: And it sucked cause I was just like

[00:23:33] [SPEAKER_02]: almost hit like an anchor

[00:23:34] [SPEAKER_02]: and no matter what I did,

[00:23:36] [SPEAKER_02]: I did not get myself out of it.

[00:23:37] [SPEAKER_02]: And it just made it so hard.

[00:23:39] [SPEAKER_02]: I had so many conversations with my coach

[00:23:40] [SPEAKER_02]: and I was trying everything to get out of this

[00:23:43] [SPEAKER_02]: like funk that I was in.

[00:23:45] [SPEAKER_02]: Could not do it.

[00:23:46] [SPEAKER_02]: It was spilling into my defense.

[00:23:48] [SPEAKER_02]: But freshman year, we basically like only had me.

[00:23:52] [SPEAKER_02]: So it's like they even had other options.

[00:23:54] [SPEAKER_02]: So I just felt like crap the entire time.

[00:23:57] [SPEAKER_02]: I was like, gosh, this is so hard.

[00:23:59] [SPEAKER_02]: Like it even got to the point where like

[00:24:00] [SPEAKER_02]: I know this is horrible to say

[00:24:01] [SPEAKER_02]: even in the biggest moments that we're in

[00:24:04] [SPEAKER_02]: we'd normally be excited.

[00:24:05] [SPEAKER_02]: I was like, I want no part of this right now.

[00:24:07] [SPEAKER_02]: Like I do not wanna be up here

[00:24:09] [SPEAKER_02]: with bases loaded against Tennessee.

[00:24:10] [SPEAKER_02]: Please take me out.

[00:24:11] [SPEAKER_02]: And it sounds so horrible.

[00:24:13] [SPEAKER_02]: Or we're about to, we're a game away from going to OKC.

[00:24:17] [SPEAKER_02]: We beat Stanford once and I'm talking to Kiki,

[00:24:20] [SPEAKER_02]: my good friend.

[00:24:21] [SPEAKER_02]: And I'm like, dude, if we win another game

[00:24:24] [SPEAKER_02]: like we're going to freaking Oklahoma.

[00:24:25] [SPEAKER_02]: And I haven't hit a ball since pack time.

[00:24:28] [SPEAKER_02]: And I was like, it was just like

[00:24:30] [SPEAKER_02]: a really low point for me.

[00:24:32] [SPEAKER_02]: But I was just trying to stay positive

[00:24:34] [SPEAKER_02]: because I know I saw how much fun everyone else was having.

[00:24:37] [SPEAKER_02]: Cause like I said, we got hot at the right time.

[00:24:39] [SPEAKER_02]: People were performing super well.

[00:24:41] [SPEAKER_02]: So it was just tough getting through that

[00:24:43] [SPEAKER_02]: like little patch.

[00:24:44] [SPEAKER_02]: But then like I said,

[00:24:46] [SPEAKER_02]: that was also like a really high point for us.

[00:24:48] [SPEAKER_02]: Cause then we did go to OKC.

[00:24:50] [SPEAKER_02]: No one expected us to.

[00:24:51] [SPEAKER_02]: There was a point we didn't even expect ourselves to

[00:24:53] [SPEAKER_02]: cause we were in like,

[00:24:55] [SPEAKER_02]: I think like a 10 game losing streak.

[00:24:56] [SPEAKER_02]: And it was just losing by one run over and over again.

[00:24:59] [SPEAKER_02]: Like UCLA, we lost by one each game.

[00:25:02] [SPEAKER_02]: Oregon, Washington.

[00:25:03] [SPEAKER_02]: And it was like, dude, like this is horrible.

[00:25:06] [SPEAKER_02]: And we ended up making it and it just felt like insane.

[00:25:10] [SPEAKER_02]: So that experience was something like, I don't know.

[00:25:13] [SPEAKER_02]: I hope I could experience again, but it was awesome.

[00:25:16] [SPEAKER_02]: It was just, I was battling the good and the bad

[00:25:18] [SPEAKER_02]: at the same time.

[00:25:20] [SPEAKER_02]: And luckily once we actually got to Oklahoma,

[00:25:22] [SPEAKER_02]: I felt like I just let go of everything.

[00:25:24] [SPEAKER_02]: Cause I was like, this is the last,

[00:25:25] [SPEAKER_02]: like the end of it really.

[00:25:27] [SPEAKER_02]: Like you can't go any further than this.

[00:25:29] [SPEAKER_02]: I relaxed a lot more.

[00:25:30] [SPEAKER_02]: I just tried to enjoy the moment a lot more.

[00:25:34] [SPEAKER_02]: And I finally got a hit.

[00:25:36] [SPEAKER_02]: Then I was like, let's go.

[00:25:38] [SPEAKER_02]: Who was it off of?

[00:25:40] [SPEAKER_02]: Dude, I don't even know, but it was against Florida.

[00:25:44] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, so like a hit against Florida.

[00:25:46] [SPEAKER_02]: We ended up playing Arizona.

[00:25:47] [SPEAKER_02]: We were playing two bulls, whatever.

[00:25:50] [SPEAKER_02]: So we beat Arizona when we played them.

[00:25:52] [SPEAKER_02]: So damn.

[00:25:53] [SPEAKER_02]: But both of us had awful years

[00:25:56] [SPEAKER_02]: and then just got hot at the right time.

[00:25:59] [SPEAKER_02]: But yeah, things came together a lot better.

[00:26:01] [SPEAKER_02]: It was really cool.

[00:26:02] [SPEAKER_02]: Just my highlight of that tournament was,

[00:26:05] [SPEAKER_02]: I don't wanna like throw names,

[00:26:06] [SPEAKER_02]: but I threw out Kendra Fulby

[00:26:07] [SPEAKER_02]: and it was just like the best day of my life.

[00:26:09] [SPEAKER_02]: I was like, oh my God, she's so fast.

[00:26:11] [SPEAKER_02]: As soon as she got on,

[00:26:11] [SPEAKER_02]: I was like, she's going literally right now.

[00:26:13] [SPEAKER_02]: I just need to throw the moments like that.

[00:26:15] [SPEAKER_02]: Just like you don't forget.

[00:26:18] [SPEAKER_02]: And yeah, it was a mix of that whole month

[00:26:20] [SPEAKER_01]: was just highs and lows.

[00:26:22] [SPEAKER_01]: And what would say a little freshman

[00:26:24] [SPEAKER_01]: is gonna be in like the same situation as you

[00:26:28] [SPEAKER_01]: and like, what would you say to them?

[00:26:31] [SPEAKER_01]: They're going through that same thing.

[00:26:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Not doing well in regionals or supers

[00:26:35] [SPEAKER_01]: but the rest of your whole team is on that high.

[00:26:38] [SPEAKER_01]: What would you say to them

[00:26:40] [SPEAKER_01]: to give them advice in that moment?

[00:26:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Because you obviously went to OKC

[00:26:44] [SPEAKER_01]: and then you said you got a hit against Florida.

[00:26:47] [SPEAKER_01]: So like how did, or just give them advice

[00:26:50] [SPEAKER_01]: on what to do in that scenario

[00:26:51] [SPEAKER_01]: or like what kind of things you were thinking about.

[00:26:55] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, in that scenario,

[00:26:56] [SPEAKER_02]: I definitely think I was getting selfish

[00:26:58] [SPEAKER_02]: because I was just like caring.

[00:27:00] [SPEAKER_02]: I cared about like our team success

[00:27:02] [SPEAKER_02]: but I was letting the way that I performed bring me down.

[00:27:06] [SPEAKER_02]: And I know that my team needed me to be up

[00:27:08] [SPEAKER_02]: even if I wasn't performing well,

[00:27:11] [SPEAKER_02]: just my energy in the dugout,

[00:27:12] [SPEAKER_02]: my energy on the field,

[00:27:13] [SPEAKER_02]: it just needed to be right

[00:27:14] [SPEAKER_02]: in order for things to work out.

[00:27:16] [SPEAKER_02]: So even when you're not doing your best

[00:27:18] [SPEAKER_02]: just making sure that you're putting your team first

[00:27:20] [SPEAKER_02]: which is something I definitely struggled with

[00:27:23] [SPEAKER_02]: in that period because I just was so defeated.

[00:27:26] [SPEAKER_02]: And it wasn't even I'm mad that I'm doing bad

[00:27:28] [SPEAKER_02]: and it's hurting my numbers.

[00:27:29] [SPEAKER_02]: I was mad that I was not helping the team.

[00:27:31] [SPEAKER_02]: And it bothered me so much

[00:27:33] [SPEAKER_02]: because I was given so many chances to turn that around

[00:27:36] [SPEAKER_02]: and I was just like not able to make it happen.

[00:27:39] [SPEAKER_02]: So just realizing, okay, like as hard as this is

[00:27:42] [SPEAKER_02]: it happens to everyone

[00:27:43] [SPEAKER_02]: and you just need to like mentally be strong

[00:27:46] [SPEAKER_02]: and have the right mindset

[00:27:48] [SPEAKER_02]: not just to try to help yourself

[00:27:50] [SPEAKER_02]: but for the sake of your team.

[00:27:52] [SPEAKER_02]: And obviously like from someone young

[00:27:54] [SPEAKER_02]: that type of standpoint,

[00:27:56] [SPEAKER_02]: one thing like Laura Berg always told me was

[00:27:59] [SPEAKER_02]: the game doesn't know age.

[00:28:00] [SPEAKER_02]: Like it's so true,

[00:28:02] [SPEAKER_02]: freshmen doing huge things all the time.

[00:28:05] [SPEAKER_02]: Like some of the biggest people in softball

[00:28:06] [SPEAKER_02]: are like of the year during seasons.

[00:28:09] [SPEAKER_02]: There's freshmen that are like breaking records

[00:28:11] [SPEAKER_02]: and doing crazy things.

[00:28:13] [SPEAKER_02]: So that's just something I had to always remind myself

[00:28:15] [SPEAKER_02]: is the age doesn't know age.

[00:28:18] [SPEAKER_02]: You can't feel sorry for yourself

[00:28:20] [SPEAKER_02]: for being a freshman

[00:28:20] [SPEAKER_02]: and for it being your first rodeo.

[00:28:22] [SPEAKER_02]: Everyone there's so many other people out there

[00:28:24] [SPEAKER_02]: in your same position that are having success.

[00:28:27] [SPEAKER_02]: Obviously not everyone's gonna have a great freshman year

[00:28:29] [SPEAKER_02]: but just realizing it's just the way that

[00:28:33] [SPEAKER_02]: it's gonna turn out the way that you want it to.

[00:28:35] [SPEAKER_02]: And yeah, that's the two things that I would say.

[00:28:39] [SPEAKER_02]: Sorry, that was really hard to get out.

[00:28:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, it's okay.

[00:28:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Des, are you excited for your first season with Iowa?

[00:28:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, dude.

[00:28:48] [SPEAKER_02]: I've been waiting for this moment.

[00:28:50] [SPEAKER_02]: And I don't know if you knew this

[00:28:52] [SPEAKER_02]: cause I didn't at first

[00:28:53] [SPEAKER_02]: but when I had found out,

[00:28:55] [SPEAKER_02]: I had to sit out for a season.

[00:28:57] [SPEAKER_02]: And I was like, okay, whatever.

[00:28:59] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm missing this little portion of the year

[00:29:00] [SPEAKER_02]: and then in the fall I'll be back.

[00:29:02] [SPEAKER_02]: I'll be able to get some ball games in.

[00:29:04] [SPEAKER_02]: Then apparently you're not allowed

[00:29:06] [SPEAKER_02]: to play in the fall either.

[00:29:07] [SPEAKER_02]: It was like a one year,

[00:29:10] [SPEAKER_02]: like the entire year.

[00:29:12] [SPEAKER_02]: So I was like, oh my God.

[00:29:14] [SPEAKER_02]: So I didn't, and it is, I have no idea.

[00:29:17] [SPEAKER_02]: I was like, what?

[00:29:18] [SPEAKER_02]: So they told me that and I was like, well that sucks.

[00:29:20] [SPEAKER_02]: But then in the middle of this past season

[00:29:23] [SPEAKER_02]: they ended up changing the rule back.

[00:29:24] [SPEAKER_02]: So then with three weeks left,

[00:29:27] [SPEAKER_02]: there was a chance I was gonna be able to play again.

[00:29:30] [SPEAKER_02]: And I was like this whole mess.

[00:29:32] [SPEAKER_02]: Obviously I did it.

[00:29:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Changed it to where if you transfer mid season

[00:29:35] [SPEAKER_01]: you can play.

[00:29:36] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:29:36] [SPEAKER_01]: So of course the one year that I transfer that.

[00:29:41] [SPEAKER_02]: Maybe it was meant to be though.

[00:29:42] [SPEAKER_02]: It was meant to be.

[00:29:43] [SPEAKER_02]: I needed to sit out and think about my actions.

[00:29:46] [SPEAKER_02]: I really did.

[00:29:47] [SPEAKER_02]: But.

[00:29:48] [SPEAKER_02]: And think about what you did.

[00:29:50] [SPEAKER_02]: I really did.

[00:29:50] [SPEAKER_02]: It worked out.

[00:29:51] [SPEAKER_02]: I just needed to reflect.

[00:29:53] [SPEAKER_02]: But.

[00:29:54] [SPEAKER_02]: You guys know like where you're playing at yet?

[00:29:57] [SPEAKER_02]: I know we do this thing.

[00:29:59] [SPEAKER_02]: I think they call it the big four.

[00:30:02] [SPEAKER_02]: It's like us, Iowa State, UNI,

[00:30:04] [SPEAKER_02]: and I don't know who the last one, Drake maybe.

[00:30:07] [SPEAKER_02]: We're like the four D1 softball programs.

[00:30:11] [SPEAKER_02]: We do a little tournament.

[00:30:12] [SPEAKER_02]: And then I do think we travel a little bit more

[00:30:14] [SPEAKER_02]: because luckily in the Midwest you can

[00:30:16] [SPEAKER_02]: bus like to Chicago in three hours and stuff like that.

[00:30:20] [SPEAKER_02]: I know for sure those four Iowa schools,

[00:30:21] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm not really sure outside of that though.

[00:30:23] [SPEAKER_02]: But yeah, I'm excited for the fall though.

[00:30:26] [SPEAKER_02]: Cause now I can't play luckily.

[00:30:28] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

[00:30:28] [SPEAKER_02]: We found out we're going to be in the Mary Nutter.

[00:30:31] [SPEAKER_02]: Wait, was this your guys' first Mary Nutter?

[00:30:34] [SPEAKER_02]: No way.

[00:30:35] [SPEAKER_02]: Oh my God.

[00:30:36] It's weird.

[00:30:37] [SPEAKER_02]: One.

[00:30:37] [SPEAKER_02]: Is it?

[00:30:38] [SPEAKER_02]: Yes.

[00:30:39] [SPEAKER_02]: Cause there's so many people there.

[00:30:41] [SPEAKER_02]: It's insane.

[00:30:43] [SPEAKER_02]: It's almost too many.

[00:30:44] [SPEAKER_02]: Cause I'm just trying to walk through

[00:30:45] [SPEAKER_02]: with my cat shoes bag and I'm getting a little kid.

[00:30:48] [SPEAKER_01]: And it's like, please move.

[00:30:50] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm telling my dad, I was like, it's so crazy

[00:30:54] [SPEAKER_01]: that I'm a senior and I'm getting to end

[00:30:57] [SPEAKER_01]: like playing at the Mary Nutter.

[00:30:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Cause did you go grow up going to Mary Nutter too?

[00:31:02] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:31:03] [SPEAKER_01]: So I was like freaking out.

[00:31:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:31:05] [SPEAKER_01]: It's full circle.

[00:31:07] [SPEAKER_01]: I know.

[00:31:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Who are we going to play?

[00:31:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Don't know.

[00:31:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, I thought you were going to say like Iowa.

[00:31:12] I was like, what?

[00:31:13] [SPEAKER_01]: I have no idea.

[00:31:14] [SPEAKER_01]: I literally, I think we will probably find out tomorrow

[00:31:16] [SPEAKER_01]: but I don't know.

[00:31:19] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't care.

[00:31:20] [SPEAKER_02]: We're going.

[00:31:21] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, it's honestly, it's such an interesting tournament

[00:31:24] [SPEAKER_02]: cause playing at that field feels like travel ball.

[00:31:27] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

[00:31:28] [SPEAKER_02]: There's just so many people there.

[00:31:30] [SPEAKER_02]: And it's funny cause there's so many schools there.

[00:31:32] [SPEAKER_02]: You're just like everywhere you look

[00:31:33] [SPEAKER_02]: you see someone you know.

[00:31:35] [SPEAKER_02]: So it's just like a big softball reunion

[00:31:37] [SPEAKER_02]: and it's fun.

[00:31:38] [SPEAKER_02]: And there's so many people there.

[00:31:39] [SPEAKER_02]: It doesn't matter what school you are.

[00:31:41] [SPEAKER_02]: There's kids like trying to get your autographs

[00:31:43] [SPEAKER_02]: and it's like the biggest like, what the heck?

[00:31:45] [SPEAKER_01]: Like it was, it's so cute.

[00:31:47] [SPEAKER_01]: That's how it was when we did the Mark Campbell

[00:31:50] [SPEAKER_01]: invitational with Oklahoma Stanford and all them.

[00:31:54] [SPEAKER_01]: And they're like, can we have your autograph?

[00:31:55] [SPEAKER_01]: I was like, oh my gosh, I wish I was in that tournament,

[00:32:00] [SPEAKER_01]: dude.

[00:32:00] [SPEAKER_01]: I know you like, cause it was all like

[00:32:04] [SPEAKER_01]: the OG bad buster girls.

[00:32:06] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

[00:32:06] [SPEAKER_01]: That would have been so fun.

[00:32:08] [SPEAKER_02]: I know.

[00:32:08] [SPEAKER_02]: Oh my God.

[00:32:09] [SPEAKER_02]: That would have been awesome.

[00:32:10] [SPEAKER_02]: I think I brought it up to Coachberg

[00:32:12] [SPEAKER_02]: but we were already like set with what we were doing.

[00:32:16] [SPEAKER_02]: Maybe I'll just go on my own and get, see if it's this.

[00:32:20] [SPEAKER_01]: I know it's a weekend of you guys playing

[00:32:22] [SPEAKER_01]: and then come to the-

[00:32:24] [SPEAKER_01]: I know.

[00:32:24] [SPEAKER_01]: You know what?

[00:32:25] [SPEAKER_02]: You guys don't need me this way.

[00:32:28] [SPEAKER_01]: All right.

[00:32:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you so much, Des for being on this podcast with me.

[00:32:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Horace, thank you for having me.

[00:32:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Horace and I hope we see each other

[00:32:37] [SPEAKER_01]: in the pre-season or something.

[00:32:39] [SPEAKER_01]: We definitely will.

[00:32:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Hopefully.

[00:32:41] [SPEAKER_01]: We'll see her and hopefully this time.

[00:32:43] [SPEAKER_02]: There?

[00:32:44] [SPEAKER_02]: I can actually play.

[00:32:44] [SPEAKER_01]: I thought I did okay against you guys.

[00:32:46] [SPEAKER_02]: I don't remember-

[00:32:47] [SPEAKER_02]: You did, you literally did.

[00:32:48] [SPEAKER_02]: It was like, was it a three two game?

[00:32:51] [SPEAKER_02]: I think it was three two.

[00:32:52] [SPEAKER_01]: That's a close game.

[00:32:53] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.

[00:32:54] [SPEAKER_01]: I think what helped was like,

[00:32:56] [SPEAKER_01]: I see Lenny and Veronica in this game.

[00:32:58] [SPEAKER_01]: I know, it felt like trouble.

[00:33:01] [SPEAKER_01]: All right.

[00:33:01] [SPEAKER_01]: I'll talk to you later, Des.

[00:33:03] [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you so much.

[00:33:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.

[00:33:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Everyone go make sure to watch Des

[00:33:08] [SPEAKER_01]: at the University of Iowa, if you're in Iowa

[00:33:11] [SPEAKER_01]: or the-

[00:33:12] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm gonna be an I.

[00:33:15] [SPEAKER_01]: All right, I'll talk to you later.

[00:33:17] [SPEAKER_02]: Really, see you, bye.

[00:33:18] [SPEAKER_02]: Bye.