CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The 2023 Senior Perspectives is the 18th in a series of annual collections. Senior captains and representatives of teams at Harvard have been invited to contribute viewpoints based on personal experience from both their senior seasons and full varsity careers at Harvard.
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Hometown: Mishawaka, Ind.
Sport: Softball
Concentration: Government
House: Mather
Softball has been an integral part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I spent countless hours practicing every day of the week, dedicating extra time and effort toward developing my skills, competing at the highest level, traveling all over the country and making numerous memories along the way. The softball field became a place of comfort and belonging for me at a very young age and remains one for me to this day.
Every day with Harvard Softball allowed me to turn my childhood dream into a reality. I knew from the first time that I saw my older sister, Kelly, play in a college softball game at the University of Wisconsin ('19) that I wanted to be just like her. Kelly has always been my number one supporter, my teammate AND my coach, but most notably, my biggest inspiration. From watching her life as a Division One student-athlete, I knew that I wanted to be on that stage, to represent a university, to have that team atmosphere, and to live that day-to-day life. As a recruit, I always envisioned that my experience at Harvard would be great. However, I never could've envisioned as great of an experience as the one that I actually received.
My time on Harvard Softball was never perfect – there were always challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic canceling two seasons, a gap year, and a blown-out knee – all unanticipated factors that disrupted my plans. However, one thing that these challenges taught me was that nothing ever goes as planned, so enjoy every second of it because you don't know when it might be taken from you. In response, I learned to lean on my support system, face the challenges that lay ahead, learn to adjust, and find the good in every situation (because it's always there somewhere and I just needed to find it). While it's difficult for me to put into words just how much Harvard Softball has meant to me, I can confidently say that my participation on Harvard Softball has made me the person that I am today and instilled so many values that will remain with me for the rest of my life. Playing for this team has taught me the importance of teamwork, dedication, resiliency, respect, and gratitude. Harvard Softball has blessed me with a life trajectory that I never could've imagined for myself.
I would like to thank my family - my mom, Joann, my dad, Jim, and my sister, Kelly - for their constant love and support throughout my softball career and my lifetime. Without them, none of this experience would be possible. I would like to thank my coaches – Jenny Allard, Yasmin Mossadeghi, Monica Taylor, and Amy Lwin – for recruiting me in 2017, for seeing the potential of what I could become and helping me get there, for mentoring me, for caring about me both on and off the softball field, and for believing in me especially in times when I didn't even believe in myself. I would like to thank my athletic trainer, Beth Boyington, for dedicating significant time and effort to help me get back on the field for my senior season. Not only did Beth assist me in the physical side of my return to sport, but she also helped me tremendously in the mental side of my return to sport. Without her, I would not have been able to find the success that I did during this past season. I would also like to thank my teammates for being my biggest fans, my shoulders to cry on, and my best friends throughout my time here. There are so many other people who have helped me along this journey, and I am forever grateful for all their support.
We may only get four years to make memories here (or for some of us, five years), but the relationships are ones that last a lifetime. My participation on Harvard Softball has made me a better player, teammate, leader, friend, and person, and I can only hope that I've left this program better than I found it. While my time as a student-athlete at Harvard may have ended, I know that I will always be so grateful for this entire experience and the family that I have found in the Harvard Softball program.
