Hear From Players
Meet some of the trailblazers leading the way for the next generation
"My mom is a big influence in my life, she was always telling me that I need to be tougher than anyone, how I should respond to people, and how to face adversity from an early age. She would constantly drill those things into me so that I was prepared for anything. The most important lesson I learned was to be mentally strong to deal with the adversity and then physically strong to handle the demands of the game. My advice would be to never take anything for granted, and if you want something, find a way to get it no matter what it takes. Follow your heart and you're on the right path."
- Alexia, N.J.
"I have heard from many people - umpires, coaches and random people on the internet, that I should go play softball. I've never doubted my love and purpose for baseball regardless of what anyone has said. If you are a girl in baseball thinking about switching to softball, are you switching because you want to or because you feel forced? If it's because you feel forced don't do it. There are so many opportunities for girls in baseball now as long as you work hard."
- Ashlynn, Ontario, Canada
"Softball is great, its truly a very fun sport. But playing baseball is a unique experience that no other sport can give you . . . If you find yourself in a position where both sports are calling you, play baseball as long as you can. From my experience ... at younger levels, baseball is more competitive and you will get more competition and challenge playing youth baseball. However, as you get older those begin to level out, and that is the point where you truly have to choose between the sports for what they are instead of just the level of competition they present. Also, be assured that playing baseball will NOT set you behind in softball. A good baseball swing is a good softball swing, and while fielding is slightly harder in softball, you can adjust. Athleticism and work will help you in softball the same way it did for baseball."
- Vivienne, TX
"I have heard some negative comments from players, coaches and random people as a girl playing baseball, like 'you know there's no future for you there' and 'you don't have the mental strength to play in high school.' But there have also been coaches who treated me the same as everyone else and believed in me the same way. I will always remember the coaches who gave me opportunities based off my skill and not gender, and even if I made a mistake, didn't use that to validate that I wasn't good, and instead pushed me to work harder. To the girls playing baseball now, I would say don't give up because someone says you can't do something. Use that as motivation to prove them wrong. Don't give up if others don't believe in you, because if they counted you out immediately just because you are a girl, then their support is not worthy of you in the first place."
- Chloe, CA
"A coach once told me 'people who hate are jealous, its hilarious, its unfair, but you belong.' YOU choose the right path for you. For some it may be softball, but for others it may be baseball, regardless, don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
- Youki, CA
"If you prefer to play softball there is no stopping you but if you think that you have to switch because you have no future in baseball then I would say don't let that get to you because you are the future of baseball."
- RJ, Ontario, Canada
"You should choose the sport that you feel most passionate about.
If you don't love the sport, then you should have the choice to change. Girls should know that if they pick softball or baseball, they will always have people to support them."
- Emma, CA
"I've heard comments like 'you don't belong here or you're not good enough to stay.' But I think your decision comes from your heart and what you want to do. A decision as hard as switching sports should never be someone telling you what to do."
- Olivia, N.J.
"One of my old pitching coaches ... made me realize that I can stick with the boys. He formed me into the player I am today. He helped me realize that I can stick to baseball. Some advice I would give is when someone says no to you, then push even harder than you were before. Never let anyone stop you from achieving your dream, because baseball is for everyone."
- Julia, PA
"My dad has always told me if I really wanted to do something, to work hard and good things will come, so I have always stuck to that. I think if you want to play baseball you go and play baseball. Don't let other people tell you what you should and shouldn't play."
- Sally, MN
"When I was younger, people would say things like, 'When are you ever going to get a hit?' or 'Baseball isn’t for girls.' Those words hurt. They made me angry, and for a while they made me doubt myself. But more than anything, they made me want to prove that I belonged on the field just as much as anyone else. Then I met coaches who changed the way I saw everything. My coach Eddie Haus told me to never give up and to keep fighting. He said that it doesn’t matter what other people say about you, what matters is that you’re happy doing what you love. My coach Dan Springs always reminded me to play hard and have fun. He told me that if you’re not having fun, then what’s the point of playing at all? And my coach Justine Siegal told me something I’ll never forget. She said that even though I may be small, I have a big heart, and she could see how much I truly love the game. She told me to keep fighting, because there is a future for girls in baseball. Because of them, I learned that the voices telling you that you can’t do something don’t get to decide your story. The people who believe in you and the passion you carry in your heart matter so much more. These coaches helped me keep going, keep believing, and most importantly, never give up on the game I love.
If I could give advice to younger girls who play baseball or are thinking about switching to softball, I would say to follow what you love. Don’t just switch sports because your friends are doing it. You’ll make new friends wherever you go and the friendships you build through the game you truly love will mean even more. Play the sport that makes you excited to show up to practice and step onto the field. Most importantly, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something because you’re a girl. If baseball is the game you love, keep playing it and keep believing in yourself. There is always a place in the game for someone who has heart and refuses to give up.
- Makena, CA
"I was always told that I should play softball by my teammates and that baseball was only for boys. Sometimes people would come up to me after a game and tell me that I sucked (even if I just played the best game of my life.) My mom always told me to just play because I wanna play and to remember that I'm not playing to impress anyone, but I'm playing for God and myself. I would tell younger girls to play baseball for as long as they can. For me, playing baseball for as long as I did really helped me do well in softball. I would also tell them to enjoy baseball for as long as they can and continue to play and pursue your baseball career. Don't let people stop you from doing what you love because they're just haters."
- Anna Belle, GA
"Stay in baseball, do what makes you happy, and never give up or let others tell you what you want to do. If it was easy, everyone would do it."
- Emelie, CA
"People will say what they want but as long as you want to play then nothing can stop you."
- Mia, CA
"Some good advice I received is to not let anyone get in my head and don't let them control me and what I do. I would tell girls - choose the sport that makes you happy and if you love baseball, play baseball for as long as possible."
- Kassidy, CA
"I was told to stick with what I am good at and to not listen to anyone else telling me to do anything else. My advice to girls deciding between baseball and softball is to stick with whatever one that they like more and to not listen to anyone else's opinion on what sport they should play."
- Alexa, IL
"I've never heard any negative comments (about being a girl playing baseball). People have generally been really supportive ... I had really good coaches who helped me develop and want to stay in the game. I would tell younger girls to do the sport you enjoy playing more and don't let anyone choose for you. If you decide baseball is the one you want to play, then be prepared to work hard to keep your skills up."
- Ava, CA