Megan Faraimo - Unbreakable Spirit

This week, AJ is joined by Megan Faraimo, a three-time All-American pitcher who plays for the AUSL Talons, Team USA, and internationally in Japan. The conversation touches on Megan's journey through professional softball and the mental resilience required to excel. Megan also shares insights into her pitching techniques, the importance of vision boards, the role of her cultural background, and the impact of her family on her perseverance and success.

 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Dropping Diamonds with AJ Andrews is an iHeart women's sports
production and partnership with athletes, Unlimited Softball League and Deep
Blue Sports and Entertainment. Welcome to Dropping Diamonds with Me
A J. Andrews, where we dive headfirst into the world

(00:21):
of softball. Today we are joined by three time All American.
She's pitching for AUSL Talents. She's part of Team USA.
She plays in Japan, She's played in Mexico. She's on
a world tour and is only getting better. Is nobody
better than the amazing Megan Foremo. Thanks for coming on

(00:44):
Girly Pop.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
Thank you so much for having me. How fun.

Speaker 1 (00:48):
I'm so excited to talk with you. But before we
get go and I always start with dropping our diamonds
a little bit kind of get started before we drop
more diamonds throughout the podcast with an amazing affirmation. One
thing that I really thought, after diving deeper into who
you are and your story and affirmation, that really stuck

(01:08):
out to me that I just came up with a spy.
I feel like it would be today.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
I will stand.

Speaker 1 (01:12):
Tall with confidence and pride. I'll keep my steps powerful,
nothing will break my stride.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
Wow, that was a good one. That was Wow, what
a great way to start off my morning. Thank you
so much.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
Yeah, we're gonna keep moving strong with our strides. When
you think about like a great affirmation or maybe a
quote that's really propelled you throughout your career or something
that's really stuck with you lately, do you have one?

Speaker 2 (01:37):
Okay, well, let me just read you my screen saver
if I can. Oh, perfect, I wrote this myself in Mexico.
I don't want to sound super far out, but low key,
like sometimes I just be forgetting them real.

Speaker 1 (01:53):
Wait what do you mean by that?

Speaker 2 (01:55):
Because sometimes my brain just goes in overdrive and then
I'll go into orbit and then I'm like, dude, is
this a similation period or am I like here right now?
Am I living this life unconsciously? Or is it like
my subconscious autopilot and drive?

Speaker 1 (02:10):
Oh girl, we could go into a whole another I'm
always on that wavelength anytime something weird happens, like this
is not a real m. I had a similation moment
just yesterday. I was like, nope, I'm entering a different
timeline right now. Anyway, I'm speaking the same ra I
got you I got you, but let's let what's on
your screen saving Okay, Well, so I had to help
myself out every morning or every day, I'll read this

(02:32):
to myself or at this point I have it memorized,
but okay, it says ground yourself.

Speaker 2 (02:37):
Today is an important day. Today, I'm free, free to choose, freedom,
free to be remarkable, free to be me. My name
is Megan ki Elani Fema, and I believe I am
capable of greatness, for I see my future in visions,
not dreams, and I know my potential. The path to
fulfillment is hard, but my father in heaven is formidable
and he is with me today. I step forward on

(02:58):
this path with God's hand in mind. I will outlive
every dark day and I will dare to shine. Girl.

Speaker 1 (03:06):
Thank you Snaps, Thank you snaps, the snaps and you
wrote that yes, like you came up with it.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
Yeah, one thousand percent like a two am, three am
moment where I was again like dude, is this real life?
And then how to like ground myself?

Speaker 1 (03:24):
First curious did something happen? Because I feel like I
remember the exact moments where I'm like Nope, this wasn't
real or I entered a different timeline, like I could
vividly see and remember the exact moments where'm like or
like daja, It's like Daja, that's a raven moment, you
know what I mean, Like you're gonna stop in your track.
So that was weird. Yes, was there anything that happened

(03:47):
to you that made you say, Okay, I gotta, I
gotta I settle myself in and ground myself.

Speaker 2 (03:52):
I don't think that it was a particular moment. It
was more like an accumulation of a bunch of moments
where I didn't feel I didn't feel like I was
making my choices. I mean, I know we all make
our own choices, but it's like I think of it
as being awake or aware or unaware of what you're doing.
So it's just that autopilot. And I think for my

(04:12):
lifestyle that sort of gets easy to fall into because
it's just like season after season, practice after practice, game
after game, just like the same thing every day, where
sometimes it's a little hard for me to be intentional
in every single moment. And I noticed that that was
happening a lot in Mexico, and then I was like, well, girl,

(04:35):
you gotta pause like we got to find a way
to remember that every day is important and that I
believe every day that I was made free, literally free
to choose to be remarkable. Like that's so crazy that
I can do that, But sometimes I just don't. Do
you writ poetry? I do? Actually, Yeah, I really like
writing from a super young age. Actually, that's been one

(04:57):
of my favorite ways to express myself was through writing
and then probably on the same level as softball and pitching,
like your love for it, my love for it. And
I feel like playing softball helps me express one hundred
percent who I am authentically, where I don't feel the
need to guard or like filter anything, Like I could

(05:21):
just be one hundred percent raw meg and I don't
feel bad about it. Same with my writing, like I
could just express myself and then like it is what
it is, take it or leave it. Like it or not.
It made me happy, it brought me joy, so I'm
cool with it.

Speaker 1 (05:37):
Wow. I've written a couple of things that you've said
that really stood out to me, and two of them
were I see my future in visions not dreams, and
the other one was I am free. I am free
to be remarkable. When you say I see my future
in visions not dreams. It really hits home on the

(05:58):
fact that I see this as something that is happening
or something that is going to happen, rather than something
that I'm making up in my mind and it's just
a dream. No, this is I just had a vision
of what my life is going to entail or what
it is that I can do and succeed. And then
we talk about I am free to be remarkable. It's
like you give yourself the permission to be as exceptional

(06:22):
as possible and not allow the limitations or the societal
standards said it's possibly placed on you or on women
in general, to keep you at a certain level when
you could reach exponential levels without am I interpreting it?

Speaker 2 (06:38):
Yes, one thousand percent both of those parts. You totally
interpreted it how I meant it. With the visions not dreams,
I was actually inspired by my mom. She tells me
this story or told me this story about how if
she would have an event or like some dinner that
she wanted to address nice for, she would have like
a specific outfit in mind, and then she would just

(07:02):
find it like exactly what she wanted, but it was
like an actual visualization for her and then she would
just go and find it. And for some reason that
story just stuck with me because again, I think dreams
are really important and that's like where inspiration lies. But
I think that it's not until you actually visualize it

(07:22):
and can truly see it and one hundred percent believe
that like it's going to happen. You just have to
play your part in it. That to me is a
vision and you just step into that. It's almost like effortless.
And then with the freedom part that came to me
in a prayer because I was just hold again in Mexico,
I was just holding onto so much like, Okay, once

(07:44):
I write this or have this thought that I'm unaware
of my choices. It feels like the guilt and the
shame as someone who is elite, or at least wants
to be elite, you can feel the guilt for not
being elite one hundred percent of the time, just praying
to God to help me let that go. And then
it was just clear that the choice is mine, like

(08:07):
I want so badly to control everything, and just like
every movel in my day, hold on and grab to
you like this, And then in that moment, I was like, ah,
I actually feel more powerful if I just let it
go and release all that and exactly like you said, like,
just be free to be remarkable.

Speaker 1 (08:25):
Wow, I am free to be remarkable. I think that
that is an affirmation that I'm gonna go write down.
I wrote it down, but I'm gonna write like on
a mirror every day, like I am free to be remarkable.
There are no limitations to what is I can do,
what is I can't achieve? And when you tie in

(08:46):
those two things together, you're being free to be remarkable.
And then you having the visions and not the dreams
you see your life and visions not dreams. When you
think of softball, how are you able to applied that
throughout your life? What visions did you see for yourself,
maybe when you first started playing softball or even maybe

(09:06):
more recently.

Speaker 2 (09:08):
And I feel like I have so many examples, and
a lot of it comes from my parents and especially
my mom. One thing that I think is really funny
is I've had the same signature since I was literally
like eight or nine years old because my mom made
it for me, and then all of a sudden, I'm
practicing it all the time. As like a ten year old.

(09:28):
I don't even think I started watching college softball even
until I was maybe in high school. But I always
had a dream that I would be using an autograph
at some point somewhere, and it just started to feel
like something that I was born to do, but not
in a pressure way, in a way that felt like
I'm just stepping into my purpose almost, And I've had

(09:51):
a lot of those moments throughout time, like not just
my signature, but making vision boards in college and I
would do an all day different types of ways, like
whether it's with pictures or I did like the bingo
card one and then one by one, just checking it
off and seeing even now, like I have it all
set up my calendar, my vision for this year and beyond,

(10:13):
and I'm just constantly thinking about it, or not even
thinking about it, really just visualizing what that life is
going to look like for me eventually. And it's just
it's not a question like it just is. It just is.

Speaker 1 (10:27):
And I think that that is when you think of
those words, it just is. Those three words. They sound
so simple, you wouldn't think it would be as profound
as it is. But when we think about like life,
vision our goals, the things we're achieving, or maybe even
just a situation that we're dealing with, whether it is
comfortable or uncomfortable. Rather than assigning a name to it

(10:51):
or a title to it, it could just be it
just is and I'm going to go through it. I'm
going to experience it, or I'm going to achieve it.
Whatever it is, it just is. Yes, And you think
about the vision that you have for yourself and the
vision board that you've created. What is one thing right
now that you really are trying to tackle and that

(11:12):
you see the vision and maybe coming to reality soon.

Speaker 2 (11:15):
One thing that I wanted to focus on, and it's
hard because I see this vision of myself and who
I am and how I feel, I think it'll be
hard to know when I step into it. So one
big thing for me this year was my spiritual health,
and I feel like if that aligns with my actions
and what I'm doing, then I feel my best. Sometimes

(11:39):
again with I feel like my left maybe just growing
up being an adult, I'm noticing gets super busy man
like with like what you're actually doing, but in your
head too, like there's just so much going on. But
if I put my spiritual health first, then I think
my life feels a little bit more in harmony. So

(12:00):
I've been focusing on like Fruits of the Spirit has
been like a guide for me through all of it.
Is that a book, I'm sorry, No sorry, Foods of
the Spirit like from the Bible? Okay, it would be
like love, joy, peace, patients, like all those sorts of things,
And I just take that with me wherever, whether I'm
in Mexico or out here in Japan in au like,

(12:21):
I'm dealing with so many different situations. I'm in environments
that are like complete opposites from each other, so it'd
be really easy for me to, like my spirits just
get whiplashed everywhere. So I feel like if I can
be centered, then I could be my best self.

Speaker 1 (12:37):
Your perspective on life, I feel, is such an amazing
way to transition into sport because it allows every moment.
I would imagine it would help it feel as if
no moment is too high or no moment is too low,
like as we said, it just is. Do you feel
like that's allowed you in these and like pressure situations

(12:58):
or environments which are very different from one another. How
has your mentality allowed you to propel forward no matter
the circumstance.

Speaker 2 (13:06):
I feel like my perspective on life has helped me,
Like you said, not make things get too high or
too low, but not just that, it's when they are high.
It's like I literally, okay, in Mexico there is or
inn Au. All the places in Least I've played, there's
been high pressure moments, a lot of eyes, and I
totally have the peace of mind to be like, man,

(13:28):
thank you God so much for this opportunity, Like this
is lit. And then I feel my pitch like I
love that, so I get to enjoy it because no
matter what, I know that it just is and that
softball is my joy. Maybe not it's very closely tied
to my purpose, but it's not my entire identity. Like

(13:51):
it really just is something to enjoy. So whether I'm
playing in front of like fifteen thousand people or I'm
playing in front of two, it doesn't matter. Like it's
such a blessing to be able to do this day
in day out. It just is.

Speaker 1 (14:08):
And I think it's so cool that that's how you
approach life, you approach softball, because when you think about
your visions and vision board, did you ever in vision
that you would be Freshman of the Year in twenty twenty,
ranked first among PAC twelve pitchers in er and then

(14:28):
following that name Softball American Picture of the Year. You
were also February twenty fourth. Let's let's break it down
all the amazing things that you've done. Twenty twenty one,
you pitch the nineteenth perfect game in UCLA program history.
You are the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year.
If you like, you need a drink of water to

(14:48):
keep going, All Packed twelve, First Team All American three times,
and during your senior year you led the NCAA in
wins and became the fourth pitcher and you seal history
to surpassed one hundred career wins. Was that all written
down on that vision.

Speaker 2 (15:04):
Board of yours? No, girl, Honestly, honestly, I've never been
the type to like pay attention to those sorts of things. Obviously,
it's an honor always to be recognized for the work
that you put in, but that's never the real intention
for me. It was always just literally be the best

(15:28):
in history. Like that's all I would have in my brain.
But again, like that starts with the dream that's a
huge inspiration, and then it slowly narrows down into all
these visions of what am I going to look like
year to year. I mean, okay, Freshman of the year
like that was awesome, but sometimes it could be really
hard to sustain success. I would say like that, and

(15:51):
so my vision, like it just got clearer and clearer, like, no,
just you go be great. Literally every single year, every
single practice was just somebody make me great. I'm trying
to make myself great. Coach Lisa would always say this, like,
let's create greatness today and then we would all just
work for it. So I would say, for me, my

(16:12):
vision was more around being joyful and happy in what
I'm doing. And literally, just since I was in high school,
wanted to be the best in history, which is like
an insane, I feel like statement to make because like
there's so many legends in softball, But since that was
always what my aim was at. I mean, even if

(16:34):
I missed what I'm aiming for, I mean, I'm gonna
get pretty high.

Speaker 1 (16:39):
Yeah you're already up there, girl, You are soaring. You
are soaring up in disguise. We talked to or I
talked to coach Lisa. A little while ago, I was
at UCLA and she was throwing pitches to everybody and
she was just throwing her arm out like the whole practice,
and I think it was so cool when I was

(17:00):
discussing with her kind of what it is that makes
a great picture and things that she really dives into
what she thinks are really special for you. When you
think about the work that you've been able to do
with Coach Lisa, what valuable lessons do you feel like
you've learned from her that have helped you become who
you are as a player.

Speaker 2 (17:19):
I have learned so much from Coach Lisa. I think
the things I keep close to my heart the most
are the mindset things that she would tell us the
work she's done with me specifically. I know one thing
I think is crazy about Coach Lisa, like crazy good,
is that she would tell me she always had the

(17:42):
underdog mentality. And I'm just like, dude, you who were
on top of the world, could still say in your
brain to have an underdog mentality. I don't know. I
just thought that that was so impressive and that's what
kept her so. I mean, like she is very that

(18:02):
that that we would have a journaling session before every bullpen.
Oh yeah. She would always talk about being intentional and
having intent, and it's like, if you're gonna throw a pitch,
you better throw it with purpose Otherwise almost like what's
the point again, Like you totally weren't there for that pitch.
So she forced us and forced me really to lock

(18:24):
into everything that I'm doing, and I think that that
helped my growth, like exponentially helped me understand things. I
also think Coach Lisa helped me understand honestly patience and
having real faith in what you're doing, because I mean,
there's I get so frustrated in the bullpen, but there

(18:45):
is never a day where Coach Lisa wasn't telling me
that she believed in me and all that I could do.
There was times where she would watch film with me
when no one else was there, Like man, when they
got to like postseason time, we would be up until
like two am just trying to figure out one mechanic.
I don't know who else is doing that.

Speaker 1 (19:05):
So we're actually like in the bullpen that later watching film,
watching film.

Speaker 2 (19:09):
Yeah, we'd be like, okay, we'd finished this scouting report,
and then I'll be like coushly, simplease, can we just
watch my game? Can we watch this at bat? And
we would watch it like a thousand times over, And
that to me told me that she believed in me
so much. Like I feel like I believe in myself
a lot, But to have someone else who really does
believe in you just as much or more even, I

(19:29):
think it's pretty special.

Speaker 1 (19:31):
Oh man, be able to go back and watch that film.
You talk about the journaling sessions, what were you journaling
before each practice? Would those look like it would.

Speaker 2 (19:42):
Just be our intent? So what like how we were
going to make that bullpen have purpose? So like, Okay,
today I'm going to work on my screwball. It's been
so and so in the game. This is exactly what
I'm gonna do. This is my plan for it. I
think we focus on one book because we arted this
maybe my junior or senior year, and then as a bullpen,

(20:04):
we would talk about what we read in the book
or just thoughts that we've been having, and then we
would kind of work through it. It was just it
was really really great culture that she built within our bullpen.

Speaker 1 (20:15):
Every pitch has a purpose. There's no throwaway pitches, there's
no time wasted. Every single moment is an important moment,
and I would imagine that helps you stay within the
present every single time, every time you're in the in
the bullpen, or every time you step out to the
mound when you feel frustrated in those moments, because you

(20:37):
say you felt you would get frustrated, what were ways
in which you were able to dial it back and
then allow yourself to get back into the groove that
you want to be in.

Speaker 2 (20:48):
I am gonna lie sometimes I'd be in the bullpen
and I'll just be like, ah, I can't be here anymore,
and then I would I would just have to end
it right there. I didn't have a lot of those days,
but I think as I'm matured through the game, I
got to feel for when pushing through was no longer.

(21:08):
This is no longer hey in the barn. Day like
I can't even get a good work session in because mentally,
every single thought that I'm having is unhelpful, negative, or
putting in the opposite direction. I have to accept that
I've gotten the most I can out of this day,

(21:29):
and I'm just gonna have to go hit cardio or
something and find find joy somewhere. Else because it's not
happening today.

Speaker 1 (21:39):
Wait, I think that that is such a good lesson
in itself though, Like there you know when you're hitting,
I mean you know hitting as well, Like there's just
times in which it's just not working. Like the more
you do it, the more upset you're getting, and your
only it's like you're not getting better, You're getting worse
because you're getting mad, and then your mechanics break down.
And so there is a lot of power and also realizing, Okay,

(22:00):
I did the best I could do today, and even
if that was forty percent and you gave that forty percent,
you gave one hundred percent. And so after that forty percent,
being able to kind of go out or at least
what you need to release to then come in the
next day and maybe able to get to give. You
have one hundred to day to give yes versus that
forty yes.

Speaker 2 (22:19):
And I will say like for the young ones watching,
no guys, get your work in get your work in
practice isnt important. Don't don't make that I have it
of every single bullpen. Just dip it when it gets hard.
But kind of like you said, like I do no hitting,
I retired from hitting I'm done hitting because every single
day for me with that particularly was zero joy. I

(22:42):
don't like it. Will I do it if the team
really needs me to do it? Yes. However, like on
that side of the game, I knew when enough was enough,
and I think, yeah. I mean as I think about
the year of your generation and people playing softball sometimes
in burnout and all the things, Guys, sometimes it is
okay if it's not bringing you any joy. And literally

(23:05):
every day you feel like you need to leave, might
be trying to tell you something. No, hey, no shade,
just for your betterment. Something I've learned in my game
maturity is the more moments you have like that it's
okay again, softball is a part of us. It's not
all of us. Yes, I just want to share that
in case someone is watching and they're like, oh, that's me.

Speaker 1 (23:29):
We'll be dropping more diamonds after these messages. And one
of my favorite things is follow your joy. And if
it isn't a hell yes, then it is a hell no.
There's no one between. Like if you don't wake up

(23:50):
every morning or every day and then you're just like
hell yes. And don't get me wrong, like going to
softball practice it can get tedious. There's days where, like
you love softball to the max, I just don't want
to go to practice that day. Like those days come,
and they come often. However, when you think about really
your why and you're like, okay, well my why is
still a hell yes, Like this is still what I

(24:11):
want to do. That's what's going to push you through
on the days where you don't feel like going. But
if it's not a hell yes, then it is.

Speaker 2 (24:19):
A hell no. Sorry.

Speaker 1 (24:23):
Do what you love, follow your joy, and you following
your joy. Within pitching, what do you feel like was
maybe a drill or technique that was your favorite to
master and it helped you become the best picture you
could be.

Speaker 2 (24:39):
Oh my gosh, so many things A driller technique, I
want to say, I'm still learning a lot, and for me,
that is the joy in itself, is that I love
to learn about pitching. I love different perspectives and then
to see if it works for me or if I
agree or not, that's cool. One thing I feel like,
and this is not a maybe technique or mechanic, but

(25:00):
hitch calling and strategizing and scouting so much fun, literally,
so much fun. Oh my gosh, that in itself to
me is a whole other game that has been like
life changing for me. I called my own pitches I think,
I want to say, starting my junior year, maybe my

(25:21):
sophomore year at ECLA. And now that I look back,
I'm like, girl, did you know what you were doing?
But that helped me learn a lot to be It
helped me feel more confident that even if I don't
know exactly what I'm doing, i'm'll figure it out and
I'm going to be successful anyways. But now that I'm
in pro it feels a little bit like life or death,

(25:44):
whether or not I'm going to scout these hitters, understand
their swing path or their tendencies, what they're thinking. It
feels like a chess match every single at that And
for me having that like brand involvement again, not just
being on autopilot a robot pitching machine. That's made me
feel fall more in love with this game. And I

(26:05):
was already like super in love.

Speaker 1 (26:07):
What is the magic or the key to being able
to call a great game? Is someone that has thrown
perfect games and you've been able to accomplish things that
so many pitchers I would imagine are seeking to accomplish
pitch selection and knowing what pitch to throw at what time.

Speaker 2 (26:24):
What is your process of figuring that out, especially out
here in Japan. I'll do like a lot of video sessions,
so many meetings just to make sure, because it's important
that I have a like a certain image or vision
for the game or a batter. It's important that my
catcher has the same feel so that if we happen
to not be on the same page, when I shake boom,

(26:47):
we're back in rhythm and step. Then we see, oh,
you didn't want rise, so you want curve now, which
means you're gonna want rise later. And then just as
much as I can see what I'm trying to do,
my catcher can see and then we could be in
it together. That for me, helps me get prepared a lot.
I'd say, I mean so far, literally, third year pro,

(27:09):
I have so much more to learn about all of this.
But when I'm figuring it out is it's exactly what
you said. Literally, just the right pitch at the right
time is all it is. And I'm not even like
it's not a strike or a ball, it's you can
throw a ball, you can throw a crazy ball, but
if you throw a wild pitch at the right time,

(27:32):
you're totally fine if that's setting them up for something else.
And I'm thinking like not even at bat to at bat,
but at this point, like okay, so Ausl for example,
I know that I meanbe saying batters like thirty plus
times possibly in very like short amount of time. So
I'm planning ahead for your first at that. But also eventually,

(27:55):
what am I even be able to get you out on?
You have no choice, Especially in every lea I've played
for Mexico too, I was facing batters like twelve times,
so I have to figure out the right pitch at
the right time for multiple at bats. But that's kind
of just that's what makes it really fun.

Speaker 1 (28:12):
When you're trying to figure out those pitches. Is it
based on what the hitter did previously or is it
based on is it based on you?

Speaker 2 (28:19):
Or is it based on the batter? I guess essentially
it's based on so many things. Sometimes it gets a
little frustrating, like it's based on what's working for me
that day, hitter tendency. So like a scouting a normal
scouting report is always going to be helpful to see
just in general, like, what's their spray look like? More
pop ups, more ground balls, pull side opo. That's good

(28:40):
to know heading into the game. But then I'll go
into the game and then the batter just decides to
like screw the scouting report and be completely opposite of
what you scouted, and then I have to go off
of her in that moment. And then there's some batteries
where they're adjusting pitch to pitch. That's one of the

(29:00):
best batters that does that, in my opinion, is like
Bubba Nichols, Dude, why are you like fouling off my
rise ball and then filing off a change and then
way inside and outside, Like now what that's what I'm
that It gets really fair.

Speaker 1 (29:16):
She knows you a little bit better than probably this
is true. Yes, there's so many variables. I almost want
to say, just being in that moment and then relying
on the information that you know not too much, Like
you still got to read what's right in front of you,
so you can lean on the scouting report. But for

(29:36):
the most part, would you say you kind of have
to adjust pitch by pitch the same way a batter
is maybe adjusting pitch by pitch.

Speaker 2 (29:43):
I would sometimes you can tell, like if someone's not
sitting the rise ball, then you could just throw three
in a row. But I mean most of the time,
especially at the pro level, may be adjusting for sure.

Speaker 1 (29:54):
Yeah, they figure it out. Yeah, I saw on Instagram
there was a drill that you said that you saw
and you're like, I'm gonna give it a try, and
like you did, like this big stride and land it
on top of the I don't know, on top of
like a mat on the on the field, like the backstop.
I just have to ask, have you implemented that drill

(30:18):
into your routines and does that help?

Speaker 2 (30:21):
It's not in my routines, but it's almost like my
Hail Mary past, Like if I don't know what the
hell's going on, let's try the one where.

Speaker 1 (30:29):
I put my leg up as high as possible, yes,
and see what go.

Speaker 2 (30:36):
We're gonna see if that helps me out. We're gonna
see if I'm gonna have to leave the bullpen early
today that drill. Yeah, that's fun. I like doing that
a lot. Again, I'm such a tinker. I like to
tinker with my mechanics and stuff and just if I
can get it one percent better, today, that to me
is the best thing ever, so I'm down to try whatever.

(30:57):
That was a moment I use it sometimes. I also
have no idea if I was doing it correctly, so
that could be it too. But I didn't hate it.
I didn't hate it at all.

Speaker 1 (31:09):
Okay, I didn't hate it. And that was I imagine.
That was like about stride, working on your stride, good question,
I think, so Okay, I think for me it's like
a jay where you're a guess as good as mine,
but I figuring it out.

Speaker 2 (31:25):
I think for me that one I thought about my
stride and like my stride like getting up high, but
that really forced me to isolate so many parts of
my body, like all the way was on my back leg,
so then I could really feel like the rotation into
that front leg. And I was also like timing. At

(31:48):
least that's what I was telling myself again affirmations. There's
no reality beyond what I believe. So I believe that
helped me. Maybe it did. There's no reality beyond what
I believe. I'm of the make a book of just
what you say all the time is your job. There's
no reality other than what I believe. So if I

(32:09):
believe this drill helped me. Then it helped me maybe yeah,
I don't know the physics behind it, but it helped me,
So it helped me.

Speaker 1 (32:18):
I love that. Do you have another drill that you
know for sure helps you that you use.

Speaker 2 (32:25):
I'm trying to find them. I'm really trying to find them.
I've never been a huge drill person, which feels like
oh across the sin to say, I've done the same
things for years, just my little spins, little k drill,
I would say. The weighted ball coach Lisa put me on,
I will never abandon my cannon ball, that thing heavy,
the heavy what's it called heavy ball? Yes, I love

(32:48):
that thing. Also a big ball. Just really working in
my fingers and stuff. I like to get a feel
for my spins and almost like tell my hand that
I'm about to start pitching and that it needs to
like get ready. But yeah, no, I'm looking for jolls.
I'm getting really into stability and like I think it'll
help with stacking and stuff, ankle mobility, all the little

(33:10):
tiny details that I think actually out here in Japan,
these pictures really it's really cool to watch them be
athletic and the way they use their body. I've been
just trying to copy them a little bit. So I've
been trying a lot of stuff, new stuff that's so cool.

Speaker 1 (33:28):
And in twenty twenty three you signed with the Toyota
Terriers of the Japan Diamond Softball League, and then this
past year you also played in Mexico for the Diablos
ro Hosts of the Mexico Softball League. What would you
say is probably like the biggest culture shock that you've experienced,

(33:48):
whether it's living in Japan or Mexico, that has been
something that has been really cool for you.

Speaker 2 (33:54):
The first example I always think of is in Japan,
how quiet and peaceful everything is, how purposeful, everything feels
like everything that they do. Where I get back to
the States, this is no hate, no shade on the
States or anything, but I just get over stimulated. It's
like boom right when you land. There's so much going on.

(34:17):
The volume is like to the math, conversations everywhere, like
options everywhere. That for me is something that when I'm
home I miss about Japan is just very peaceful. Everyone
is quiet, minding their own business. It's pretty nice. It's
okay to like literally just sit there and not talk

(34:37):
totally normal, that's nice. Mexico is the complete opposite of that.
Even like normal for us was going to bed at
like midnight one am, co be by dinner at ten,
like good time music blasting all the time, which is
cool because I like to dance as well, like I
like to have a good time. So that was fun.

(35:00):
But yeah, so many culture shocks everywhere.

Speaker 1 (35:04):
The Mexico League looks like it is just booming and
growing and growing exponentially over the last year, last two years.
And you playing with Diabolos Ros you with the six
to zero victory, you threw the first perfect game in
the history of LMS. What was the response to you

(35:25):
going out there and making history girl out there in Mexico.

Speaker 2 (35:29):
Oh, they went crazy for that. They went absolutely nuts.
It was so much fun. The fan base was insane,
not just for our team but for the whole LMS,
the league. It was like incredible. Every single game that
we went to. There are so many fans who showed up.
There's so many people that cared. Media would report on it,

(35:50):
a lot of interviews. I mean, of course it's connected
with their baseball pro league, so it makes sense. But
even with that, like I started and compared to baseball
pictures and all of the stats in history, Like I
want to say that might have been the first perfect
game in Diablo's history itself, like baseball and softball, So

(36:15):
that kind of made some noise. There's a lot of
things that made noise with the intersection of both of
the sports, which I think was huge in itself, and
that again people just went absolutely nuts for which was great.

Speaker 1 (36:27):
To be able to make history and you have these
conversations of oh, she's the best, she's the best picture
where we're talking man or woman. She's the first to
achieve this feat, which is something I think in the
States are still working towards as far as I respect
people to realize and see that we are just as talented,

(36:48):
if not better than a lot of the guys to
step on the field and or court whatever it looks like.
And so when you think of that response and the
respect that was given for you, how do you feel
like that is something that really pushes women's sports upward
and helps to continue to really help and let so
many young women realize we are just as talented and

(37:10):
deserve the same amount of recognition as any man.

Speaker 2 (37:13):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's exactly what you said,
is the respect. The respect I got was something like
I was gonna be rolling whether I got it or not.
But to me, it was the impact it had on
the little girls watching it stands watching all of that happen.
I think being a part of greatness and witnessing greatness

(37:37):
almost has the same impact. Like now those little girls
their dreams got even bigger because they see that people
actually care about what you're doing. Not only do they care,
they're literally investing in it, like money, time, energy, effort,
all the things. The thing I thought was the most
cool is that these are fresh eyes on the sport.

(37:58):
This is not even like people I've been loving softball.
These guys don't. I mean, they know baseball, but they're
not softball fans. They were made into softball fans just
by watching our sport, just by giving our sport a chance,
like seeing it for the gem that it is and
then respecting the players in it. I mean, there was comparison,

(38:19):
but it wasn't It wasn't like the bad kind of comparison.
It was like, oh, you're really good, Like this is
our baseline of understanding and compared to our baseline, you
just like blew that out of the water. That's insane.
Like I'm not just talking about myself, like Jazz Jackson

(38:39):
did crazy stuff.

Speaker 1 (38:42):
She won a car.

Speaker 2 (38:43):
Oh, I can't be talking out loud in Japan.

Speaker 1 (38:45):
But wait, that is hilarious. So we got a dial
it back. Wait you're in Japan not Mexico, right right?
That Like, I mean, they gave her a car. That's
that to me is so crazy. But it's not crazy
because it's exactly what she deserved. Maybe I won't say

(39:07):
it deserve, but what we've earned, all of us together,
like throughout history, it's exactly what we've earned. And I
think that that is the best way to outline that
it's what we've earned. We put in that same amount
of work, put in that same amount of time, just
as exciting history making, doing things that even I always say,

(39:28):
we are just as hard working talented as the boys,
but oftentimes you just look better while doing it and
there you go. So that's just like hello, throwing a
perfect game though, Meggat, I mean that's something that everyone
holds their breath for. That's something that say she no hitter,
So no hitter, right, talk about it. Don't talk about

(39:49):
it like the superstitions. The element around making sure that
that picture is able to have that perfect game is
so intense in those mo What are you feeling? Because
I know as an outfielder, if I know what's taking place,
I'm like I am about to I will go to
the hospital trying to make a catch right now so
that she can have this perfect game. I don't care. Right,

(40:12):
You're not gonna lose this because of me. What are
you thinking when you're on the mound? When you do
you know? Are you aware that it's happening?

Speaker 2 (40:19):
I'll say most of the time, I'm aware, I at
least like for let me say most of the time
I know the games I've thrown. I didn't mean it
like that.

Speaker 1 (40:30):
No, I know, I don't most of the time.

Speaker 2 (40:33):
I know, at least for a no hitter, like or
if they haven't gotten a hit yet. And I don't
want to say this, and then I don't want the
energy to come back to me. It's not that I
don't care, it's just like there is still a job
to do, so I don't want to get caught up
in the perfect game like it's I love that my
teammates because my team in Mexico is the same way.

(40:55):
Like everyone just wanted to make sure every single ground
ball was but I don't want it to become bigger
than winning a softball game. So for me, I used
to get hung up and like, I really want this
no hitter, I really want this perfect game, and then
of course, like they would get a hit the next
at bat. But I think that game specifically. I remember

(41:18):
my intention for the game was to work on my
mid game, Like my fourth inning was just not how
I wanted it to look in the games I played previously,
So that's all I wanted. If I got a good
fourth inning out of that game, I would have went
home pretty happy about my process. And then after the
fourth inning, then it was just about closing out the game,

(41:39):
making sure I did my best, And then that happened
to be a perfect game, which was super awesome, like
history making really fun. And again not that I don't care,
but it's just it can't be bigger than getting a dub,
like focusing on getting a dub, if that makes sense.
Nothing's bigger than the program. Yes, yes, yes we know it,
we love it.

Speaker 1 (42:00):
Yeah, we've been told it many times in college. Nobody's
begging of the program, got it?

Speaker 2 (42:07):
Got it?

Speaker 1 (42:09):
I love that it said all around. At every school
at some point, we've all heard those words.

Speaker 2 (42:15):
No one's bigging on the program.

Speaker 1 (42:17):
That's so interesting. So and when you're on the mound,
it's just you just focus on Okay, job's not done.
This isn't a real thing until the last out is made,
and then it can set in exactly.

Speaker 2 (42:30):
Yes, I'll celebrate after, we can have fun after, and
I am I really think it's an awesome achievement, not
just for myself but the whole team. They get twenty
one outs, it's cool. But yeah, guys, like, let's walk in.

Speaker 1 (42:43):
All right, we have more diamonds to drop after these messages.
Is there a key or a secret sauce to throwing
a perfect game? Do you kind of just get in

(43:03):
a zone like or is it maybe what you talked
about earlier? You're just the pitching is perfect, The pitch
calling is exactly what it needs to be. What do
you think is probably the key or number one element
that allows you to throw a perfect game?

Speaker 2 (43:19):
It is a lot of things, Like I know I
was working with Mia really really well that game. We
were connected so many things. I feel like have to align.
We have to be connected from the first inning, like
our right fielder made a diving play, Jazz made a
couple of really good plays up the middle at second,
So it's not just Mita has to be on obviously,
but everyone else has to be on. For me, I

(43:40):
remember being in a zone that game where it felt
appropriate to like low Ki being dancing and grooven to
their walk up songs. So for me that day, that
was what my zone looked like, and I almost wanted
to be like, Meg, you got you gotta like focus up, dude,
But then I was also like, but this is also working,

(44:01):
so maybe I'll just hang out in this zone for
a little bit because obviously, like it's giving me pretty
good performance right now, and then just rolling with it
and trusting that that's where I want to be at today.
So I think it's a lot of things. I think overall,
being in your zone, being in tune with yourself, and
then just hoping and praying that everyone else is in

(44:22):
the zone as well.

Speaker 1 (44:23):
Hopefully it's like, yeah, help me out, y'all feel good,
and y'all feel good too. Yeah. I think that's a
really good lesson though, in which oftentimes right where we're
doing something and we think, Okay, maybe I need to
lock in more or maybe I should do something else.
But instead of just sitting with this moment, like, actually,
this is a vibe that's working today. This is a

(44:46):
vibe that I'm gonna keep rolling with and allow myself
to keep going with whatever that does or whatever that looks. Like, Yes,
when it comes to you, you talk about you just
like having fun, you like music, And when I watched
video of you, I am Megan, I am joyful, I'm blessed,
I am a music lover. She has an impressive record collection, y'all.

(45:09):
Her first one was Eta James. Okay, we have an
old soul on the podcast today, right, this is like
this one's for the parents. This is like we all
get it. Like I love that when.

Speaker 2 (45:23):
You dying at that because I noticed my walk up
songs at UCLA were basically the same every single year,
and now me dying because literally the only ones grove
into my music were the parents in the stands.

Speaker 1 (45:36):
Yeah, like all of them were.

Speaker 2 (45:38):
Getting up and like getting dawn. But I mean, like
that's the best era of music. I feel like, yes,
I do not disagree, but anyway.

Speaker 1 (45:46):
Sorry, that's just made me laugh. Wait, what was your
walk up song? Then?

Speaker 2 (45:48):
What was everybody jam? And two? My first inning walk
up song is and probably always will be fired by
Ohio players. Someone's like, fine, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (46:02):
That one my dad. I love coming out to your
and yeah.

Speaker 2 (46:08):
So I'm like Zap and Roger in there. There's a
lot of good stuff. I muss having seven songs now
it's just fire on repeat, but that's still good. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (46:17):
Oh that's so. That's so dope me to be. Yeah,
the old soul. You found your music taste and that
love around twelve years old, and it's been something that's
been able to stick with you. Nothing's changed, right, You
stay the course. That's that's still mine, no matter what
new stuff comes out.

Speaker 2 (46:37):
That that's what you know. It's so funny.

Speaker 1 (46:39):
I feel like when our parents were like, yeah, this
this stuff is when we were younger, like what is
this crap y'all are listening to? I found myself saying
that all the time now, like what is this new
stuff everybody is listening to?

Speaker 2 (46:51):
No when they're on nineties R and B for me,
and I'm good. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Music has
always been a huge thing in my family, So my
parents would always let me just blast whatever I wanted
to blast at any stage of my life. So at
some point this was like metal just blasting at like
ten pm. Because my dad would drive me to practices.

(47:12):
He's the one that put me on to all the
old school and probably why my music tastes is the
way it is, because that's all we would listen to
for like hours up to practice and then hours back.

Speaker 1 (47:22):
Oh so, why did you want to collect records? Why
records something that's important to you.

Speaker 2 (47:27):
I can't remember exactly what made me want a record
player to begin with. I think I just thought it
was really cool and I wanted a different way to
listen to music, like to see if it sounded different,
if the vibe and the feel was different. And I
think it was just hearing stories from my dad about
going to the record shop we're just picking up records
and how like cheap they were, and just it was

(47:48):
a thing for everyone. I thought that was the coolest thing,
and I wanted to try it and then edit James.
I have no idea how I got into edit James either,
but I'm really glad that I did that. She was
my first record.

Speaker 1 (48:02):
Oh man, I think it's it's it all makes sense now,
Like you just have such a your energy is just
so calm me again, it's just like ah, she puts.

Speaker 2 (48:11):
Up ton of James, y'all. I get it. I get it.

Speaker 1 (48:13):
You know what? I think was really really cool to
watch and to read one of your posts, and it
was talking about the evolution of your why and from
when you first started playing softball to the softball camp
that you were able to put on an American Samoa
and really be able to showcase and create new dreams

(48:34):
for so many young women that want to be in
your position. One day, one of the things that you
said really stuck out to me, and it was it
was surreal to meet the little girls we've played for,
the ones who were just like us. We weren't just
witnessing the beginning of a new era for our island.
We were guiding it for all the poly girls. And

(48:55):
you talk about you guiding the new era, not just
being like say oh yeah, that looks like it's happening.
You're part of making it happen. Why is that so
important to you?

Speaker 2 (49:06):
And it's important to me for so many reasons and
on so many different levels. The first thought that comes
to mind is from that post that I wrote. Also
was about my grandma, who to me like she is
the og investor for me, because it is like, in
my culture, going to church is a real thing. Having

(49:29):
responsibilities within the church is a real thing, and showing
up for that. And my grandma totally just accepted these
trophies that I'd bring back for her that like, sorry, Mom,
I'm missing church, but look what I am doing. Yeah,
and often times is even on the island now. And

(49:50):
what we were trying to guide is that women and
girls like they can do more and it's an investment,
like let them go play their sport, let them be great,
and then they'll show you down the road, down the line,
they'll show you exactly why. And I feel like the
belief that my grandma had in me and the way

(50:13):
she saw that for me was just incredible. And so
to be able to create maybe something like that for
the poly girls now it's not just and I mean
the softball world sees that article and they see, you know,
the story of like helping dreams for the next generation.
I think that's something we can all do, but specifically

(50:36):
in my culture, it was also about guiding our cultural
beliefs and our systems and maybe even challenging it just
a little bit. Think I talked about the pipeline for
boys and men to the NFL, from our island to
the NFL. That pipeline is well established now, but maybe

(50:58):
for girls and women not so much much. And I
think a part of that mean I love my culture
so much, so much, but I do think it can
be challenged a little bit in this new era, in
this new generation, to create that pipeline for the young
girls on the island, not just saw More, but all
the Polynesian islands for them to be able to have

(51:18):
real opportunities.

Speaker 1 (51:20):
And you're one of those people that are guiding and
setting the pathway for that pipeline that we are. I
feel like it's gonna bus wide open within the years
with the guidance of you and so many of the
amazing other poly girls that are playing softball. There's more
to cover, but first let's take a quick break. When

(51:49):
you talk about you being able to guide and how
that's something that's so important to you and your family
always being able to be there and to help raise
you up. Your parents raised you to quote unquote never
let anything break my spirit, and that there's so much
grit that comes with playing sports as a woman and
as a brown woman. You also mentioned I've cried a

(52:11):
lot over jokes made about the size of my body.
I've been misgendered on the same courts that I've won
championships on, and I've left my heart on fields whose
fans made me feel unsafe. Yes, I have never in
my life let my spirit be broken. I just need
one moment because that is such a powerful statement that

(52:33):
no matter what it is that you have endured, you
have never allowed it to break your spirit, the spirit
that you have, and you being able to persist and
propel no matter what it is that is put in
front of you. How is it something that is so unbreakable?
What have you done to make it such?

Speaker 2 (52:55):
I'll see this. I think it's been a part of
me because of the environment that I was raised in,
the people who raised me, not just my parents, but
growing up at my grandma's house and having literally an
entire village behind me, to instill this belief and instill
what feels unbreakable inside that feels like it's just been

(53:18):
a part of me that feels like something other people
may may be shaped for me, and I was able
to nurture it by being in opportunities where people are
going to say mean things to me. But I have
a system. I have support that's you're not going to
break me. What I thought was cool about being able
to post that and say all of that is owning

(53:40):
the fact that this is my spirit and you're not
going to like no one, not even myself, is owning that.
I think is huge in something that sort of makes
me a woman, Like it feels like I'm growing like girlhood.
When all those things were happening, like I had volleyball coaches,
I would just say really out of pocket things about

(54:02):
my body because again like volleyball players generally tall, athletic, build, smaller, jumpy,
all the things, and then here's this like big, poly
brown girl. And then get volleyball's more of an affluent sport.
The area I was playing is more affluent, Like I
was just very different. It felt like to receive comments

(54:24):
I knew that it wasn't gonna break me, Like I mean,
I got up the next day and you're still gonna
see me at practice, Like yes, I'm gonna wear this
two XL jersey, You're gonna order it like it just is.
But now being a woman, being able to look back
and even at this point, if anything were to happen
or be said to me like I would just own

(54:45):
it right away, like that little girl, she just dealt
with it. Now, I think as I'm growing, it's being
able to claim it and say it and recognize it
as a part of me that I'm holding on to.
That to me, is just another layer of armor to
add to something that was already so strong. Is now, guys,

(55:06):
I'm claiming my power. Everybody watch out.

Speaker 1 (55:09):
That's what it feels like whenever someone would make let's
say it's a statement that was meant to put you down,
to say, oh, you are so strong, you look like
you look like this, or talking about so strong you
look like a man, because I've had that said to
me growing up with muscles all the time of aj
you're you so strong your muscles, you look like a man.

(55:31):
Or to say that your body isn't the right type
for what it is that we're looking for. Or you
are a brown girl in an area or sport where
there's not going to be a lot of people that
look like you, and so you may feel different and
feel like you have to do different things, and instead
of it being something that is knocking you down, it

(55:52):
kind of being the thing that you allow yourself to
stand on, and it's saying yes, I am brown, Yes
I do have big muscles. Yes, this is what my
body looks like. You know why my body looks like
this because I can go through perfect games. I bet
I can hit the ball harder than anybody else on
this court. Everything that is put on my body is

(56:14):
for a specific reason, and I'm going to show you
why versus allowing it to dim your light. Is that
how you feel like that is what you're able to
express from that.

Speaker 2 (56:24):
Yes, I would agree with that, And I would also
say that anything that anyone says to me, it just
couldn't take away from the joy that I'm able to
do or like that I'm able to create. So be
like like you said that. I would get comments again
playing volleyball where literally an entire student section was saying like,

(56:47):
she's a man, She's a man because I hit the
ball so dang hard.

Speaker 3 (56:52):
So to be like, I mean, like, okay, thank you, yeah, no,
perious them saying that comment wasn't gonna take away the
joy I felt from hitting the ball so freaking hard
that it's scary and that you like have to make
a comment like that.

Speaker 2 (57:11):
So maybe that's just my way of reframing it. And
I mean I could have decided to say something. I
couldn't decide to like be put down by it, and
I'm not gonna like a part of me obviously was
is sensitive to that, but not enough to where you
are gonna make me feel bad enough to change my

(57:31):
life and to steal my joy. Like, there's just no
way that that's gonna happen.

Speaker 3 (57:35):
Never.

Speaker 2 (57:35):
You're just never gonna allow anyone to steal your joy. No, No,
that's like the most precious thing ever, No way.

Speaker 1 (57:42):
Yeah, and that is how your spirit remains unbroken because
you refuse to allow anyone to take your joy. Yes,
I'm so happy that no one could take your joy
because now we get to see it play out on
the fields.

Speaker 2 (58:00):
All around the world, whether.

Speaker 1 (58:02):
It's Mexico, Japan, US Lily for Team USA or for
ausl which will be partaking in coming up really really
really soon, and you will be on the Talents and
coach Lisa will also be your coach again, right, Yes,
my GM or your manager general manager. Yes, for the
talents which you will be right back under her, being

(58:23):
able to continue to learn, get some more journaling, maybe
get to have more more moments of purpose. When you
guys are standing there, you'll be going against the Bandits
during Athletes Unlimited Softball League season opener. What are you
most looking forward to about that game and about the
start of AUSL.

Speaker 2 (58:43):
I will say that I will be here in Japan
for the season opener. Ah, yes, however, so excited not
just for that game, but every single game is going
to be like the first in history, because this is
the first time that AUSL is like a truditional league
and all the things that come with it. I think

(59:03):
every single game is even to be so exciting. So I
can't wait till I touch down back in the States.
Now I'm thinking of all the gear. I got some
custom new Balance cleats that fire. I don't think I'm
an obnoxious person, but like my brothers helped me design them,
so I'm really excited to be able to wear those
and show those off in all of our games.

Speaker 1 (59:23):
Oh yeah, she's about to say she's not obnoxious, so
she gonna let her shoes be obnoxious for her. Y'all
get ready about to take front center stage.

Speaker 2 (59:33):
It's coming.

Speaker 1 (59:34):
Well, what would you say to a fan who has
never watched AU softball? What is it that they can
expect from from the game?

Speaker 2 (59:43):
I think from the game and from our player group,
you can expect some high level competition without a doubt,
like these are going to be really really good games
to watch. I'm also super excited to see some of
the college players get their first taste of pro because
they are going off, so I think, yeah, seeing them

(01:00:05):
compete against some of the vets is going to be
really really fun. And I'm just super excited for everyone
to witness the greatness. Truly that's about to be happening.

Speaker 1 (01:00:14):
So much greatness, so much greatness already produced with AU
and so much more to come with AUSL. And now
we're gonna go into the no fly zone segment. All
of the amazing greatness also comes from the amazing catches

(01:00:36):
and the amazing plays and turning every part of the field,
whether it's outfield, infield, pitching mound, behind the plate into
a no fly zone. So Megan, for you, what is
your favorite play.

Speaker 2 (01:00:48):
That you have made in your career? Favorite play that
I've ever made in my career. Dang, Okay, if I
have to choose one, I think diving for the bunt
last season that's got to be up there on my
list because that was literally like my dream play. I
also think I feel like I've dove dived a couple

(01:01:10):
of times, a few times actually in au where I
just like scratch my ease. I have no idea if
I actually have to be diving for that ball or
if my body just falls down. But I also had
one like going towards second base actually where I dope
that one was the first time for me. That one
was fun too. I think I might just like diving
and catching balls. I might have to be an outfielder.

Speaker 1 (01:01:32):
So heck, yeah, guys, this is no flies though, y'all
better watch out. Whether it's on the grass or in
the dirt, that thing's gonna get caught. I love that
when you think about it's me to me, being an
elite pitcher, it's about being willing to make all of
the plays and go all out for your team. But

(01:01:54):
when it comes with being elite, also comes failure. But
through failures where we learn sometimes have our best successes.
So for you, what is your favorite failure that you
feel like has ultimately led you to some of the
best successes.

Speaker 2 (01:02:10):
There wasn't like a specific moment, more like almost a
whole season. It was my comeback year. Why I do
it as my comeback year. I think it was twenty
twenty two and I had like completely changed my life.
The year before I didn't make it to the College
World Series. I was injured so I couldn't go. And

(01:02:32):
then the year after that, it was just like grind time,
Like man, I was fit, my brain was in a
good place, like all the things were working out. Season starts,
I think I had a stat going literally every single
game a home run was hit off of me, it
wouldn't be just like a solo shot. And then we win,

(01:02:53):
and like no one even remembers. There was a couple
in there where it's a home run shot to literally
lose the game, or a home run shot and I
get pulled out and I was just I remember thinking
this is not supposed to be happening. I just rearranged
my entire life to go off. And there's now a
stat on me that like ten twelve games in a

(01:03:14):
row home run. Someone told me one time, I think
it was Cuch. Lisa was like, oh, Meg, that was
actually the first home run she's ever hit in her career,
and I was like, oh, I'm so happy I could
do that for her, Like.

Speaker 1 (01:03:26):
Yay, I'm so happy for her. Love that for you, queen. Congrats.

Speaker 2 (01:03:32):
That's how my season started. And then by the end
of it that year, that season, that's when I had
the bases loaded, full count too outs, strikeout to the
home run. It was like a five minute sequence of
having probably the biggest strikeout of my career at the

(01:03:53):
World Series and then hitting a home run after that.
That to me was just crazy, and it felt like
a season full of failure, personal failure to me and
just things not making sense to having that moment in
the College World Series and then fast forward to now

(01:04:14):
realizing that, like that was actually the last College World
Series I ever had in my entire career, and to
end it on something like that, I think again, just
how resilient did I have to be? I remember crying
to my parents at the Palm Springs the Mary Nutter Tournament,
went to the hotel roomoms just like solving like, why

(01:04:34):
is this happening? This shouldn't this is not supposed to happen.
I work so hard, I do all the things, I
do everything right to just like that almost full circle
moment and being an okay see and then not ending
my career like that. But I mean, the last time
I was at the World Series, that happened. So I
just thought that that was really cool. What do you
feel like you learned from that? That there's always a

(01:04:55):
reason that I'm not going to always see it, and
I I can't stand and how arbitrary trusts the process is,
but sometimes they're right, man, Like, you really just have
to keep going through it. I think of have you
ever seen that picture where it's like this guy and
he's like mining a rock and then the rock is

(01:05:15):
right there and he stops just before he gets to
the diamonds or whatever you get to m M. That's
what I think about, is man Like, so many times
I wanted to just not quit, but maybe give up
just a little bit, and I just didn't because I
knew if I just keep going, Like at some point,
I remember at some point during that season, I gave

(01:05:37):
up a home run first pitch of the game, and
I was like, okay, bet, Like that's literally happened to
me before, like you're not special, and it's just like
kept going about the game. We win the game and
we eventually get to college roal series and all that.
But through that failure I learned resiliency and I think faith,
but just being steadfast about your faith where it's not

(01:05:58):
up and down. After I had that super down moment
crying in the hotel room with my parents, it was
just even after that, because what am I gonna do
about it? Like it just is, I'm gonna have to
work through it. I'm not to believe through it, and
then we'll see if this process can in fact be trusted.

Speaker 1 (01:06:16):
It just is another one of the memes that made
me think of because I have seen the one where
he's like turning around right before it's like literally probably
one more hack, one more hack, and he would have
got into it. And then there's another one where this
guy is pulling like the growing carrots, right so they think,
and so he pulls up one of the carrots. The

(01:06:37):
first person pulls it up and it's just like it's
a small, regular carrot, and the other one he's trying
to pull up the carrot and it's so hard it's
so hard to pull, but the cart is huge on
the bottom, like it's like the.

Speaker 2 (01:06:47):
Biggest care in the world.

Speaker 1 (01:06:49):
And essentially, what it's telling you is that sometimes that
harder work, or what feels like you're feeling, is actually
setting you up for something bigger and better than you
could ever imagine. And just because someone else is getting
something first doesn't mean what they're getting is going to
be better.

Speaker 2 (01:07:05):
So keep going one thousand percent. Oh my okay, wait,
that makes me think of another failure. Well, I feel
like it's a failure. My last season of UCLA, we
were ranked two, I think, and we lost in regionals
and I gave up a home run and I think
we lost like three to two two or something like that.

(01:07:27):
I might have lost one or two games first, or
I feel like I lost the game for us. That
feels like a huge failure, low key, like traumatizing, super
hard to get over that. And now it almost feels
like I'm like again, life just goes on and I'm
still playing softball and I feel like I'm living my
best life doing exactly what I want to be doing.

(01:07:49):
But again, just like you said that guy with the carrot,
the carrot was pretty big, and even though it feels
like a crazy thing to end your career that way,
I feel like I'm just getting started now with what
seems to be what I consider like my purpose. There's
a career, little career, and then like purpose and now
I get to live over here. Oh so yeah, that

(01:08:12):
means just made me think of that.

Speaker 1 (01:08:14):
All of that was just a path on to your
purpose and those moments. I mean, you, you've done so
many amazing things in college, and so now what you wanted,
that vision that you've always had was to just be great,
and you did that. You were one of the greatest
at UCLA, and so then now being able to do

(01:08:35):
the same thing and professional, I think it's going to
be really cool to continue to watch your growth and
all the things that you are going to accomplish. Megan,
when we think about the diamonds that were dropped today
throughout our conversation, which were a lots, Oh my gosh,

(01:08:55):
I had to write them down because there are so many.
I think some of the biggest take aways from this
what we talked about earlier was see your future in visions,
not dreams. It's not your dream to be this or that,
it is my vision of what is going. This is
what's going to happens, because if it's already real, as
if it's already here, and that is your vision, and

(01:09:18):
feel free to be remarkable. Don't put any limitations on
who you are, what you can achieve, because in reality,
it all just is. If that's something Megan's taught, that's
for sure, it just is. And you just got to
keep going. There's no reality other than one that you create.

Speaker 2 (01:09:35):
Megan girl.

Speaker 1 (01:09:37):
The diamonds you drop, they were large, They're a big coloss.
It rained you rained diamonds. Actually, thank you.

Speaker 2 (01:09:46):
Oh no, thank you so much. That was so fun,
that was so easy to talk with you, and I
feel like you taught me a lot. I mean, starting
the podcast with affirmation genius, perfect way to start my day.
Thank you so much.

Speaker 1 (01:09:59):
Oh oh, I'm so excited to continue to watch your
career and you continue to become the best that you
can be, because, like you said, you're only getting started.
So from those affirmations that Megan is being able to drop,
always remember today you'll stand tall with confidence and pride,
keep those steps powerful. Nothing should break your stride. Thank

(01:10:23):
you guys all for listening. Thank you so much, again,
Megan for being here and I'll meet you guys all
back here next week at the Diamond Bye for now.
Dropping Diamonds with AJ Andrews is an iHeart women's sports
production and partnership with Athletes Unlimited Softball League and Deep

(01:10:44):
Blue Sports and Entertainment. I'm your host, AJ Andrews. Our
executive producer is Jesse Katz. Tari Harrison is our supervising producer,
and this episode was mixed and mastered by Mary dou
Listen to Dropping Diamonds with AJ Andrews on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts m