While most freshmen are learning the ways of their new school, Grace Brown is striking out varsity batters! As a fourteen-year-old freshman who plays pitcher and bats at the varsity level, Grace’s dedication to softball is truly an accomplishment.
Grace describes herself as kind, funny, and determined–qualities that make her a good teammate on the field and also someone her peers enjoy being around.
As one of the youngest on the roster, Grace faces the pressure to live up to expectations of being a great pitcher, a role that carries influence because the success of defense often begins with a pitcher, and the performance sets the tone of the rest of the game.
“As a freshman, everybody’s older than me, like you have to [compete] on a different level for someone your age.”
What keeps Grace going is her genuine love for the sport. Beyond the competition; she thrives in the positive team atmosphere, enjoys the challenge of reaching goals, and simply loves playing as a pitcher on the team.
“I feel like varsity was, like, my biggest goal, and then I also found a new team for [club].”
She is determined to be a better pitcher for the school and for club softball in addition to working with her club softball coach, Kelly Foster, and building a connection at school with catcher Audrey Abernathy.
“You have to have a good head and good mindset, to be successful. I’ve gotten really good at blocking the noise out, and I guess that’s a big part.”
Managing the demands of school and softball is a daily challenge for Grace, but she knows that staying on top of her goals will benefit her in the long run, which is how she turns a struggle into success.
“Right now it’s a little much. I’m missing school so I have to make it up, and then also a lot of homework, so I do stay up.”
Grace spends nearly every day focused on softball, attending practice five days a week with her school team and attending a 3-hour session for club on Sundays, all in the hopes of sharpening her skills and becoming an even better pitcher.
She believes she needs to always, “Keep working harder and then also not disappointing your team and doing your best.”
What Grace loves most about softball is when she feels a sense of focus and confidence during the games. But she does have to admit, a negative aspect of softball is that the team begins to give up, and as the pitcher, she feels like she’s carrying the weight of the whole team, an experience that she says is overwhelming.
These feelings are balanced by moments of triumph, like an unforgettable feeling of winning her first team game, which she considers a highlight.
Grace has a practical and philosophical approach to the game that keeps her from getting too down when the losses inevitably come.
“Do your best, you can really only do as good as you can, and it’s okay to have off-days; it happens. You don’t have to be perfect. Also, you’re young and like you have limits, it’s not going to be fantastic all the time.”
