Memories of Wildcat athletics: WNC made me a better person

Editor’s Note: Throughout the rest of 2016 Western Nevada College baseball and softball seasons, which is the last for WNC athletics, the Appeal is featuring columns every Sunday from those who are sharing their memories of the programs.

I played softball at Western Nevada College and honestly I did enjoy it. I always looked up to softball players when I was younger and when I got to the age where little softball players were looking up to me I loved it. I loved seeing the little girls watch us play and want autographs in between and after the games. They looked up to us as role models and I have always enjoyed that about the sport. It gave them something to look forward to as they grew and continued to play the sport they loved. I wanted to set examples and make sure they knew anything was possible.

I’m a shy person if you don’t know me. Getting the chance to play on a team in college close to home was perfect. Western Nevada softball gave me that chance and I’m thankful for the program and those coaches (Leah, Lloyd, Beth, Rosie, and of course Sam) who gave me that amazing chance. I met some great people who I will remain friends with for however long. I hope they feel the same way about the softball program as I feel. It shaped me as a person and how I want to live my life. I loved the free advice I got from each one of those coaches especially Lloyd’s real experiences he shared with all of us to make us realize how crazy life really is and it doesn’t matter where you came from, you can always change who you want to be and how to take a stand basically.

I want to say thank you to those coaches for guiding and teaching us more about life then any professor I ever had. Kubi (Dr. Tom Kubistant) is the only exception for a professor who taught me about life lessons and the mental part of the game of softball. I want to say thank you to him as well for all he did for us and the softball program — he was amazing. I learned so much from him as my professor because he cared about all students and wanted them to succeed in life and for us softball players he was a great mentor who taught us a lot, so thank you Kubi. I wouldn’t have had the education I have if I didn’t play softball for the Wildcats.

Playing softball for the Wildcats at WNC gave me the chance to get a good education. Yes, I could have gone to school and still gotten an education, but my GPA wouldn’t have been as good as it was because I wouldn’t have put in as much time as I did with the homework and studying. I don’t like school when I’m just going because I have to go, but getting the chance to play a sport I loved growing up helped me stay on task — otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to play.

How the softball program worked was we were students first then athletes which makes sense — why? We were there getting an education and learning in school and on the diamond. School always came first and the coaches made sure otherwise you couldn’t play and no one wants that. It pushed me to get the grades I needed and definitely the education I needed on and off the field. It was not just about softball — the coaches were great about life lessons as well. The softball program brought great GPAs to the education at the school even better than kids qho were just going and not playing a sport. It was definitely a great opportunity and I’m thankful I got the chance to play softball while doing my education.

Thank you again for the chance to be a Wildcat close to home and for the education I received.