Odicci Alexander-Bennett - Redefining Strength

In this conversation, Odicci Alexander-Bennett shares her journey of overcoming adversity, building self-belief, and defining success on her own terms. She emphasizes the importance of determination, the mindset of a champion, and the power of women in sports. Odicci reflects on her experiences, the challenges she faced, and how embracing failure has been a crucial part of her success. 

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Episode Transcript

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

(00:24):
Today we are joined by an AU Pro Softball champion,
a Women's College World Series All Tournament Team, three time
first Team CIA, and she currently plays for the AUSL Bandits.
It is the one, It is the only. Odyssey, Alexander Now, Odyssey,
Alexander Bennett. Welcome to the show, Queen. I'll flash the ring.

(00:49):
Flash the ring right here we are well before we
dive into your illustrious career in journey in softball. I
like to start a podcast with an affirmation for the day,
and so a quote that I pulled that I felt
really resonated with you and with hopefully our conversation, was

(01:10):
our greatest weakness lies in giving up. Strength does not
come from physical capacity. It comes from indomitable will. And
I feel like that is you you uh, how you
embody what it means to have strength. And I think
everybody that's ever watched you play from the moment first

(01:33):
saw you in screens can second that. What do you
feel like is an affirmation that we could derive from
that quote?

Speaker 2 (01:42):
Ooh, I mean strength is definitely a part of it.
Like you said, I mean I feel like in general
in general with women, just seeing what we go through
on a day to day basis, and it's like God
made this is what women do? You know, Like, I know,

(02:02):
I get moments where I'm like terrified of giving bird,
but it's like God put us here to do that,
you know. So having a thought thought process of things
like that and just knowing that women are built so
different is insane because, you know, being married to my husband,
he's like, I don't know how you do that.

Speaker 1 (02:20):
I'm like, yeah, I know you could. You could never,
you could never, you could never, you know.

Speaker 2 (02:26):
So just knowing that women are built different and really,
you know, taking that in and seeing that each and
every day, Like when I get up, it's hard. It
is hard. I'm not gonna lie, and I can say
I've had a very easy pregnancy. I haven't really had
any complications or anything like that, thank God this far.

Speaker 1 (02:42):
And it's still hard. I'm like, how in the.

Speaker 2 (02:46):
World And to the fact that I played softball professional
softbay is insane. So just knowing that women are built different.
I keep that in my head all the time. Okay,
I'm feeling it.

Speaker 1 (02:59):
I'm like, bring it together. So I'm put together. See,
I am woman, I am strong. Everywhere I am, I belong.
It's hard, worry, it's fate as a woman. My strength
is innate.

Speaker 2 (03:13):
Oh goodness, you're good at that.

Speaker 1 (03:16):
That's our affirmation, y'all. You might have not start sending
me there every day. Well, it's recorded, so yes, I
will look at that. Maybe I'll just watch it every day.
There you go. That is truly I feel like I
agree though, the embodiment of when you think about the
things that women can do, there's no limit. I mean,
if you can create life and birth life, and not

(03:41):
only while you're creating life, go out and be a
professional athlete at the same exact time. It's I mean,
it's a testament to the fact that whatever I thought
was hard that I couldn't get over, well'st my ten
and I'm gonna tell you how I got over that one.
I mean, when you talk about out being pregnant and
being able to play in the AUSL, playing professional softball.

(04:04):
When you first realized you were pregnant, what were your
immediate thoughts.

Speaker 2 (04:08):
Honestly, I was a little terrified. I'm like, I don't
know how this is going to go. Of course I
had the thoughts of you know, backing out and you know,
things like that. But you know, it wasn't like I
forgot how to play softball or anything like that. And
it was the first trimesters, so I wasn't showing or
I wasn't you know, really feeling too much, you know,
being pregnant. So I was like, you know, I'm just

(04:30):
gonna go for it, and if things start to get
a little tricky, you know, I'll stop. But I was
scared at the beginning. But you know, my teammates and
coaches for sure made that easy peasy.

Speaker 1 (04:42):
They made sure I was fine. I high food, I
had everything I needed. You know, it was great feed up.
Did you get film massages every now and then? I wish, yeah,
I wished you go out. And I read your quote
you said to I think it was MB and you said,

(05:02):
being able to get out on the field and do
what you do while being pregnant, it was a daily
reminder that I wasn't playing for myself. And the strength
that we talked about earlier isn't about your physical ability
or your physical power. It's about resilience, patience, and just
trusting your body. And you said that you believe that

(05:23):
you've learned that your body is capable of so much
more than you have ever imagined.

Speaker 2 (05:28):
I learned that quickly, quickly. Yeah, I was like, oh, yeah,
I could play softball pregnant.

Speaker 1 (05:34):
Wow, you were the no. You posted a video of
seventeen weeks in the bullpen and it looked like you
had I mean, you look like a force the power of,
if not the same stronger. Did you feel any differences?
I will say I did feel stronger. I don't know why.

Speaker 2 (05:51):
I don't know if it was the prenatal vitamins. I
don't know, like I do not know, but I felt
like I could literally like just run straight through a
brick wall. So I mean, thank God for that. Like,
I feel good.

Speaker 1 (06:04):
I love that you just dropped it on us too.
It's like, by the way this's been going on, just
say there's and I'm still just as good. Well went
into the thought process of like you know what, no one,
I'm not gonna tell anybody until later, a lot later.
I wasn't because I.

Speaker 2 (06:21):
Didn't want, you know, I didn't want people to be like,
oh my god, she can't do this, she can't do it,
like feel bad for me, Like, no, I'm still here
to play softball professionally.

Speaker 1 (06:32):
I'm talking. What do you feel like are the misconceptions
with women playing while pregnant, Because we've seen so many
dominant women in sport, not just in softball, whether it's Danielle,
whether it's Kelsey Kailani, but then you also you can
take it out into tennis. Serena Williams, Sanameo sock Like,
there's so many examples of women that have been able

(06:53):
to compete while pregnant and then come back after birth
and still be just as exceptional. What do you feel
like in the misconceptions you also have been able to
now add on to you to proving this is not true.

Speaker 2 (07:05):
Right, It's literally, oh, they can't do this, they can't
do that because they're pregnant, And I'm like, it's no.
They're like it's dangerous. I'm like, you get in a
car every day, that's dangerous, You walk outside, that's dangerous.
The world is dangerous. I didn't forget like how to
play softball. And it's almost like sometimes I wanted to
clap back in the comments when they were like you

(07:26):
shouldn't be playing softball, I'm like.

Speaker 1 (07:28):
Okay, well why should I? Though?

Speaker 2 (07:31):
What is why shouldn't I? I I'm fine, And I
think like literally, that's all like all I can say,
like I'm fine. My doctor said I was fine, trainer
said I was fine. I'm gonna go for it, and
so I can't and that is literally what I did.

(07:51):
You Just love when people tell me I can't do something.
I'm like, yeah, girl, yeah, okay.

Speaker 1 (07:56):
So you know a matter of fact, I didn't really
care to do it before, but now yeah, now I
have to do it just because you said that. Thank
you for that.

Speaker 2 (08:04):
Yeah, And then I know it inspires like others I know,
like the Kilanis and Ghibbies and they inspired me. Stewie,
like all of them inspired me. I'm like, geez, like
you're making it look real easy, mama, and then actually.

Speaker 1 (08:20):
Actually going through it, I'm like wow. Yeah. They talk
to them about like gotten any advice from were talking
about for Chelsea Stewart talking about Danielle Gibson and Killanie
Ricketts who have also all gone through and had beautiful
babies and came back to the game. Yes, of course
I have.

Speaker 2 (08:39):
And I'm like, how do y'all do it? What was
y'all's process? What happened here? What happened here? And just
hearing the different stories, I mean, of course every journey
is different, and I mean just made me want to
keep pushing harder and harder. Hey, you never know, I
might have another one. You know, I'm just kidding just.

Speaker 1 (09:01):
Twice now, I'm good. What do you feel like you've
learned about yourself, especially being on the field, Like you've
learned that you're about you can do hard things, and
you're capable of so much more. But in the moments
when doubt comes through, how do you push past that?
Because I mean it comes through as athletes in general,
whether you're creating life or not. And then on top

(09:23):
of that, you're also in this position where you are
now trying to compete times too when you feel that,
is there anything that ever kept to your mind?

Speaker 2 (09:32):
Howd you overcome it? Definitely the purpose, like why am
I doing this? Why am I playing pregnant? And then
also just surrounding myself with the right people at the
time when I found out I was pregnant, Like, I'm like,
who do I go to right now other than my
husband who was away, which was that was hard, But

(09:54):
you know, who do I go to right now that
I can trust and you know, let them know, like
this is going on and you know I might not
be the same every day And people who didn't know
me had no idea. But people who didn't know me
were like, something's up with Odyssey or what.

Speaker 1 (10:08):
Is what's going who said that?

Speaker 2 (10:12):
Skyler was one of them. Scott knew, like what is
she doing?

Speaker 1 (10:16):
What is it? What? What? That was like the giveaway?
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (10:20):
I think I made a comment of something like I
don't know what we were talking about. It was something
dealing with having a baby or be something in that
thing and she.

Speaker 1 (10:32):
Mm hmm you lot, are you buddy? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (10:36):
Right, you're eating a lot, You're doing a lot, Like
what is what is going on? So finally I told
sky was just like I freaking knew it. I'm like, yeah, girl.
Skylet and Bella were the first ones. Bella dating were
the first to know, and then Mary who else I.

Speaker 1 (10:58):
Ca't It was a couple who knew at the beginning.

Speaker 2 (11:03):
Leally Acscio was Aconsio might have been the first, but
she wasn't on my team, so it was a little
tough because she would be.

Speaker 1 (11:10):
Somewhere and I'm like, well, I need you now. Yeah,
but yeah when you say you need like I need
you now? What was going on in those moments?

Speaker 2 (11:21):
Was it just I don't know, I could have been crying,
like for no reason.

Speaker 1 (11:24):
I don't no telling, there's no reason at all. The
role moments were kicking in. I don't know, but you
realizing that you can do so much what is probably
the biggest thing that you overcame in those moments You're like, oh, shoot,
no I got this. Now only do I got this?
But that might be a little bit better. I know

(11:45):
that what I'm saying.

Speaker 2 (11:46):
I literally think it was this one game we were
playing the Vaults and like it was like eight innings
or non innings or something, and I didn't think I
was gonna be throwing all the minings. I just kissed
I would just be honest with myself. I did it
and we ended up getting to win. And I'm like,
I really just through to probably the hardest lineup in

(12:08):
the league, and I'm like pregnant. But I think that's
one moment where I was like, Okay, I can do it.
I can I can really do it. And that was
at the beginning of the season. I think we were
in Louisiana or something, but I was like, oh, I might.

Speaker 1 (12:30):
Be better in the jazz And you hadn't told the
coaches at that at that point, and when you did
tell them, what were their responses?

Speaker 2 (12:40):
Like girls, they were literally like about job properly And
I did it through texts, but it was It's kind
of funny. I can tell this story now because Coach
moving movie. It was just one game. We were playing
the talents and I made like this mistake, which at
this point my life like if I'm being mistake, like whatever, cool,

(13:02):
that's how you should be, you know, normally.

Speaker 1 (13:05):
But this one I had just got so emotional.

Speaker 2 (13:09):
I got so emotional all like overthrow the ball or something,
I don't know, something like okay, girl, get it together. Anyway,
Coach calls time out and she's coming out and I
could not look at her because I was ready to
ball my eyes out. And this is what I knew.
I had to tell her because she knows, like I'm
not doing that on the field, Like.

Speaker 1 (13:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (13:28):
So she called for like a chat after that game,
and I was like, movie, I'm pregnant girl, I'm sorry
if it is what it is like, I you know,
I don't cry on the field.

Speaker 1 (13:38):
I don't know what I was doing. I was just
it's the baby. It wasn't me, It wasn't me. What
did she say? She was like, holy cow.

Speaker 2 (13:52):
Well if you hear her, she didn't say holy cow,
but holy cow, you're pregnant. Congratulations, just super excited. I
guess she really could believe that. You know, I went
on that long without tell anybody I was pregnant. Well
the coaches, but yeah, and after that everyone knew. Made
my little TikTok.

Speaker 1 (14:11):
Yes, that TikTok that you made is saying baby Bennett
is baking and I can't wait to meet you. That
received more than one hundred and fifty three thousand likes.
You had three thousand, two hundred saves, like, oh, who's
saving us two thousand. I always think that when I.

Speaker 2 (14:29):
See I was posted, that's how I know they know
they knowsy Hey girls.

Speaker 1 (14:36):
In e News is Miami Harold and on today dot Com.
But I think that that's a testament again to showing
the power of women. It's like you've seen all these
other women in these other sports compete. Now here's softball.
Here's another example of how powerful women are and how
they can keep going. And and you know, if something

(15:00):
it happens, it's it was the baby. If they cry
a little bit more, a little extra, it was, it's
the babe.

Speaker 2 (15:05):
It was not it was.

Speaker 1 (15:07):
Let's take a quick break to hear words from our sponsor. Well,
I want to say, first and foremost thank you again
to the power that you continue to show. I mean,
your resiliency has been something that I think defines or

(15:29):
if I were to write down words I feel like
describe you, resiliency would be probably number one. And then
it's only now you're just giving more reasons to keep
it at that top spot of being resilient. And we
talked about you being able to go out there and
play pregnant, you're having a baby. Girl she's doing in January?

(15:52):
She is Do you have names? I do? Should? I
want to spell it? Oh my god, please, he's breaking news,
breaking news. Okay, Well, I'm not going to spell the name,
but I will give you the initials. It's gonna be
h jb Okay, wait, Jade, Okay, Okay, Haley, are you

(16:21):
starting to guests?

Speaker 3 (16:22):
Are you kidding Helena Haley ho Nope, you're cloth Hallie
notes you said I was close to Haley. Halle's close to.

Speaker 1 (16:37):
Haley, and he took a long time to say, nope,
it's actually two names.

Speaker 2 (16:42):
Okay, Okay, but you still know you don't have it.

Speaker 1 (16:46):
Okay, Well, h Jade Bennett, Okay, we're gonna Well, I'm
excited to come in January. And she may them before.
She might never know. It feels like she's ready to
come out now. She too much. Well, honestly, we talk
about being able to play on the field, pregnant or not.

(17:08):
You are a force and it all started in your
hometown of Richmond, Virginia. What made you fall in love
with the game of softball? It was something I don't know.

Speaker 2 (17:17):
I was just so passionate about it, like it made
me feel free, It made me feel me. It made
me feel like I could do anything in the world.
And it's just taught me to look back now, it's
taught me so much. When I look at Little Honesty,
I'm like, girl, my gosh, it is it's insane. It's

(17:40):
taught me so much about life. It's taught me so
much about myself. It's really built me into who I
am today, the woman I am today to say that
I can play pregnant and I can do this and
I can do that. So this game has given me
so much, and I feel like now I give so
much back to it because of that. So I'm thankful

(18:01):
for softball for sure.

Speaker 1 (18:04):
What do you feel like you when you say it
really made you who you are today? What would you
say is the biggest thing that you attribute softball to
as far as who Odyssey is. I think my mental.

Speaker 2 (18:17):
I think being a younger softball player, it was hard,
I guess for me because I was just so hard
on myself.

Speaker 1 (18:27):
And competing and putting in all the work.

Speaker 2 (18:30):
To just be great and to the people I looked
up to, like you, the Kelsey Stewards, the kat Oshman's
Monica as to Jenny Finch's I'm like, I want to
be that one day and to actually step foot on
the professional softball field with people that I've idolized. I'm like, geez, like,
I'm kind of cool.

Speaker 1 (18:49):
All the work I put in kind of it worked.
It worked, and.

Speaker 2 (18:56):
You know, it's just I can't see why it's inspirational.
But I don't consider myself famous or celebrity or anything
like that. Like, I just consider myself a girl who
started a dream and she dreamed big, and you know,
here she is. And that's what I tell the girls now,
you know, as I coach and train, I'm like, girl,
and you can do it, and I want you to
be way better than what I was.

Speaker 1 (19:17):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (19:17):
So yeah, it's given me so much. Makes me want
to cry. Look, I got my hormones going girling.

Speaker 1 (19:29):
You're pretty crying.

Speaker 2 (19:31):
That's it, you know, my cry trying not too.

Speaker 1 (19:37):
Yeah. You talk about us of how Natasha Whally was
someone that really inspired you, and I say all the
time how she was really the only reason I wanted
to really play softball at a high level. And it
all came back to just finally seeing someone that I
felt like I could identify with and feel like made
me see myself at a high level in the game

(19:57):
of softball. Why was Natasha someone that really inspired you?

Speaker 2 (20:02):
I think, well, with me growing up, of course, I
was always the black girl on the team. I was
the only one, and you know that's okay, And I
saw that as that being okay, you know, being younger,
and then seeing someone like Natasha Wally who's still around
the game, who still gives so much back to the game.
She's a huge role model. Like and to this day,

(20:25):
I still look up to Natasha Wali. I still fain girl.
When I see Natasha Wally, I'm like, girl, you are
doing the thing and you inspire so many She inspires
ones who don't look like her, but for the ones
who do look like her, she definitely, you know, is
paving a way for them. And I will forever be,
you know, a huge fan of Natasha Wai.

Speaker 1 (20:47):
So she's it. She's a it girl. She's that girl.
You're also that girl. I mean we talked about how
being able to like being one of the only, if
not the only, black girl on a softball team is
definitely the experience that I would say most black women
have had. I think now it's starting to there's a
little bit more diversity being able to take place, and

(21:09):
I think that's because of the Natasha Wattley's ot to
see alexandle Is Alicia Costios and so when you talk
to what are you saying thank you? I thank you
for doing that.

Speaker 2 (21:20):
You're welcome me too, okay.

Speaker 1 (21:24):
But I think also what's so impactful is oftentimes when
you talk about black softball players, we're pigeonholes to certain
positions because of the thought process or the assumption that
we're all super fast. So the other guess are on
the outfields, maybe short stop, But what you don't see

(21:44):
oftentimes are in the pitching position. And so I don't
know where that came from. I don't know why I pitched.
I don't know about us where what inspired you to
get on the mound?

Speaker 2 (21:57):
I just I guess I just saw someone doing it,
and I was like, let me try.

Speaker 1 (22:01):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (22:01):
And of course when I started doing something, I'm like
I'm going to get it, Like I'm going to be
able to do it.

Speaker 1 (22:07):
So I did work my butt off and then here
I am. Because the way it started out was like, girl,
you sure you would do it?

Speaker 2 (22:16):
Was I started out like just tossing it.

Speaker 1 (22:20):
Yeah, but we all.

Speaker 2 (22:23):
No, okay, or maybe I didn't think so at the
age of seven.

Speaker 1 (22:27):
Yeah, I just one day and just through my hom
in a circle like, yeah, brack a pitch. Yeah, all
the Little League we've all went through that. Phase, but
for very few of us it actually sticks, and it
stuck for you. Yeah, well I was.

Speaker 2 (22:44):
I think I was just so dedicated to just pitch eight.
I don't know, but I mean I played everywhere, but
I'm pitching was it was just there, I guess.

Speaker 1 (22:56):
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (22:57):
I didn't learn any cool pitches until I got to
college though, So you just doe fastballs. I just do
gas and like somewhat of a change up.

Speaker 1 (23:05):
But I mean I feel like if you could throw
gas and then you could also have an off speed pitch,
that should last you quite a while. It did. Yeah,
it helped me out.

Speaker 2 (23:15):
I mean, you know, you start making stuff up in
your Hey, you know you know okay, Yeah, I got
a curveball. No, just made that up, just made that
up until I got to college and really like learn
the fundamentals of you know, different pitches and stuff and
being able to be coachable and catch on to it
pretty quickly.

Speaker 1 (23:36):
Well, you went to JMU. It did major mark there
like no other. What was the first pitch you really
honed in when you were able to start learning pitches more.

Speaker 2 (23:50):
I would say definitely the change up. Like before I
had a change up, but it was like, you know,
your arm down. Yeah, it was like it's not that good.
So definitely learning that and then being able to spot,
you know, the hard stuff the fastball wherever I wanted

(24:12):
to it is a game changer. That's what I tell kids.
Now they're like, I'm ten and I have a curveball,
rise ball, screwball this, and now I'm like, girl, we don't,
we don't need okay, but yeah, so it is kind

(24:32):
of cool if you can pinpoint where you want your
fastball and you got a little a good change up,
you're there to go.

Speaker 1 (24:39):
Is that the advice you give to the girls? Like
that is my yes?

Speaker 2 (24:44):
Like les more, less is more? It is though it
really is.

Speaker 1 (24:52):
I would imagine, you know, the saying it's jack of
all trades, but master of none. That's the that's the
no one ever finishes the quote. That's the end of
the quote. I'm a jack oft rereads master of none. Basically,
it's what that means. What, Yeah, that's just like that
from the quote. Imitation is the highest form of flattery, right,

(25:17):
no one ever finishes it. The rest of it is
that mediocrity can pay to exceptionalism. How can we leave
the stuff out yeah, like that's the that's the rest
of the quote. So it's actually not it's not nice
like you think, like it's crazy. Yeah, no, wonder paid
to greatness. Yeah, long lines of that. Wow, I never

(25:43):
knew that. I think people most people would think that, oh, wow,
she's got this, she's got that, she's got that. Of course,
I would imagine it's best to have like your pitch,
like the pitch, what your bread and butter. Yeah, but
you would still say, have your pitch and then what
maybe two accessory pitches? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, okay. And I

(26:08):
think honesty too, honestly with the.

Speaker 2 (26:10):
Kids is very important, and the parents at all ages.

Speaker 4 (26:17):
Yes, be honest with your kids because I am Yeah,
I am okay, but I think I still yeah to
miss I was always when I was growing up and
taking lessons, I was always harder on myself than anybody
else would be, and so I would always I could
always tell.

Speaker 1 (26:32):
If you're just sugarcoating something, please, I need you to
actually be mean to me, or if I'm want to
go home and make things up myself, like I need
you to tell me what to do, or I'm gonna
go make it up and it's gonna be probably much
worse than whatever you're gonna say. So bad. Yeah right, No,
it happens all the time. I'll get girls, they'll go home.

Speaker 2 (26:49):
I'm like, I can tell you did not practice when
you didn't see me, because you just made whatever this is?

Speaker 1 (26:54):
What is that? What is that?

Speaker 2 (26:58):
Why are we doing this? And they'd be like, I
don't know, stop doing it.

Speaker 1 (27:02):
Wow. Okay, so get your bread and butter and have
your two maybe three, or just two accessory pictures. Two
might be three. What maybe you can master? Okay, whatever
you can master. Yeah, that's good. The jack of all trades,
master of some not master of We gotta do that one.

Speaker 2 (27:22):
Yeah, that's a good one. Mm hmmm, I didn't even
know that good.

Speaker 1 (27:31):
There's more to cover, but first, let's take a quick
break at JMU. When you are a master of the
pictures that you were able to to really be able
to either blow by people make them look silly about

(27:52):
the plate the long jebbing that you also had. I mean,
we could go back to four years ago when you
or I mean to talk about being that girl, that girl.
You know, we don't have to relive your world series experiments, experiment,
experience and what you did from regionals all the way

(28:13):
to that point. But I'll just say that she threw
nineteen strikeouts in win game. I'm moving on, But all
I'm saying is a game. If there's someone it was tenanting,
it's only three extra innings there. If there's anyone to
listen to when it comes to mastering it is it
is honesty. And we talked about I talked about the
resilience portion for you, the resilience of making it through

(28:37):
all those games, pushing all those games. But then also
I mean your famous you know dive to get the
runner out at home? What was it that ingrained such
a mentality, like such a dog mentality in you to
be able to fight that fight? You had a JMU
that now led to professional softball that you still have

(28:59):
now while competing pregnant, Like it's like it just it
kind of just comes higher and higher, different levels, but
it's all the same. It all came from somewhere. Where
did it come from?

Speaker 2 (29:08):
I think all just all the work I put in
when I was younger, and then also just playing for
something so much bigger. I feel like that was always
a piece of me, Like my grandparents raised me, so
just playing for them. Honestly, I had a niece who
popped up in when I was in college, playing for her,

(29:28):
and then you know, in a professionally playing for this
one I have growing and as well as the stepdaughter
I have, you know, so it's always just playing for
something so much bigger, and especially in the World series,
that's when something came out. I feel like I teached
my girls now like to play for something bigger because
so much more comes out than you. You're like, geez,

(29:50):
I had that in me. Yeah, girl, you did when
you a young girl. You did when you had the
right you know, mentality. So I preached that and at
tude of gratitude, just being grateful of the small things
because the small things add up to the big things.
So those two playing for something bigger and then attitude

(30:10):
of gratitude.

Speaker 1 (30:12):
Attitude of gratitude. But we talked about role models and
individuals that really motivated us to play a game. You
have to know that you changed the landscape of what
it means to be a picture, especially, you know, because
sometimes when pictures make plays like ooh, you're the smallest thing,
like ooh she's athletic. Okay, girl, get that ball, Because

(30:34):
not every day we see pictures diving to get the
out going at home. But then also on top of that,
we talked about how it wasn't something that we saw
the time to see black pictures on the mound. At
the highest level, you're someone that has inspired and I'm
sure prompted dreams that never existed before watching you play

(30:55):
on television. What would you say to those young girls
now that have this dream of being pictures, of being
making it to a world series and going to higher
lens and higher levels all because of you.

Speaker 2 (31:10):
I would say, keep that dream. I feel like I
get so many that, especially now where I guess just
you know what, travel Ball deserves its own reality TV
show because it's up. I hear in travel Ball now,
I'm like, what, you know, how do I say? Yes, Yes,
it's it's a It's it's like Real Housewives of you know,

(31:31):
it's real.

Speaker 1 (31:31):
It's a big deal.

Speaker 2 (31:33):
But I will say, you know, keep your dream, continue
to dream big. I know when I was sitting on
my couch at their age, like, I'm like, oh, like
I want to be her.

Speaker 1 (31:43):
I want to be Kelsey Stewart.

Speaker 2 (31:45):
I want to be Natasha Walley, I want to be this,
like you have to truly believe that, and you have
to dig down deep to truly believe that. Like you
can say whatever you want, but what are you doing
to be the Natasha Whalley? What are you doing to
be the odys c Alexander's And shout out to Natasha
who gives back to communities that you know they.

Speaker 1 (32:03):
Don't have.

Speaker 2 (32:06):
The things or the tools or whatever to be you know,
softball players, so really big. Shout out to her. And
that's why I play for our foundation. But continue to
dream big, like manifest manifestation is my big words. Manifest
See I manifested a mom car And where did I
get any band?

Speaker 1 (32:28):
No?

Speaker 2 (32:31):
Mommy over No, I wish that's not a mom car.
That is not that is a I mean, was great,
Donald's Greatna's great?

Speaker 1 (32:47):
Cute?

Speaker 2 (32:47):
Little taw uber black. I will say yes. But softball
always have something to like fall back on, like what
do you what do you love to do outside of softball?
What's something you like to do? Truly, because I look
at softball every day. That's literally my job. I maybe
playing it, I'm teaching it, I don't know, I'm scheduling it.

(33:10):
I'm doing something with a softball. But what do I
fall back on. Obviously, now I have a family and
stuff like that, But to the kids that are everything
is softball.

Speaker 1 (33:20):
No cool because one day, one day, whether you want
to or not, you gotta hang it up. And so
I think it's important to note that your entire identity
isn't wrapped up in in one thing, not just the
sport you play, but just in one thing, right, one thing.
From that, you can be able to have the opportunities
to love and grow within other experiences. Your season this

(33:44):
year with the Bandits, it was the inaugural season. And
while we talk about loving and having all these different
opportunities right now within softball, you're still dominating in softball,
so we can still focus on that. How was the
inaugural seat for you?

Speaker 2 (34:02):
I liked it a lot, and it was actually kind
of cool to see who thrived in that type of
environment and who thrived in like the All Star Cup.
I feel like that was the coolest part to see.
I personally feel like, obviously I thrived in the regular season,
in the All Star Cup one, I wasn't too pregnant

(34:22):
in the regular season, and then all start coming I'm like, yeah,
all right, I'm feeling it.

Speaker 1 (34:30):
It's about my time.

Speaker 2 (34:33):
But yeah, I mean just grateful to be a part
of a us L and all that they bring. And
you know, I tell the kids now, like, yeah, I
truly want you to be better than me and hopefully
you can play softball in these next year. Is that
you know, that's your job and that's your only job
and you don't have to, you know, have a side

(34:54):
job over here like mommy and you know everyone else.
So it was good and I feel like the sport
is really growing. I say that a lot, but truly
just watching how many people came out to support us
and support a USL and support softball and women's sports.
It was huge. So those are your favorite parts? Joined

(35:14):
it about playing with the bandits? My favorite part? I
feel like the bands were just it like it was
nothing that I mean, we just were.

Speaker 1 (35:22):
I mean, we didn't grow.

Speaker 2 (35:26):
I'm telling them, girls, like we all just clicked and
you know, I feel like just met each other where
we at, where we were at, Like, I mean, I
couldn't complain anything. I couldn't say anything bad about the bandits.

Speaker 1 (35:40):
So yeah, did you guys have any cheers or chants
that were It was like your your thing. No, we
had a like chance, but we would.

Speaker 2 (35:50):
Like you know, rodeo it own up like I don't know,
you know, just slow, nothing too much.

Speaker 1 (35:58):
You know. You guys finished second with the record of
fifteen and nine, made it to the finals against the Talons,
didn't come out on top, but being able to make
it to the Championship Series and the experience of going
through the full season and coming out number two, what

(36:18):
do you feel like that was a testament to what
really willed you guys to being in that position as
a team.

Speaker 2 (36:24):
You know, I think the grit we had just from
the beginning of the season. I feel like a lot
of people did doubt the Bandits, like, oh, they're not
going to do too much, and I kind of kind
of feel like that just put a fire on us
because they technically when they did it, they put us
in last place, they gave us the lowest grade.

Speaker 1 (36:40):
So we were like akay, okay, cool.

Speaker 2 (36:46):
So I think just keeping that in mind and just
showing them who the Bandits really were and what we
were about and the.

Speaker 1 (36:54):
Chemistry and that team really really mattered.

Speaker 2 (36:56):
I feel like, so yeah.

Speaker 1 (37:02):
And having grit and having grit, do you ever give
any motivational speeches.

Speaker 2 (37:08):
I'm not so no, no, ma'am.

Speaker 1 (37:18):
Who who did you love playing with the most?

Speaker 2 (37:22):
I love playing with the most. I'm gonna have to
see all of them. I just said all of the
bands were like we were it. Yeah, who do you
hate going up against as a picture? As a picture?
Who gave me a hard time?

Speaker 1 (37:38):
I don't think Danica Coffee was a hard one. She
was a hard one. I don't know.

Speaker 2 (37:46):
I just didn't know what she was thinking. I don't
know if it's because she was a rookie or like
what was going on? Yeah, like you played too much, Danica,
That's about it. I mean everyone is hard to throw too, right,
they're professional?

Speaker 1 (38:01):
No, yeah, but there I feel like every picture and
every batter has like an Achilles heel was like, no,
this everybody's hard, but that one. I don't know what
it is.

Speaker 2 (38:11):
I do want to know who was hard see Erra
Ra Merrow. I'm like, what am I missing somebody? I
don't know what she was on this past season, but
a girl. I think I walked her every time.

Speaker 1 (38:23):
No, I didn't. She got a hit off me and
or I walked her. One of them I saw somewhere
that you don't intentionally walk people.

Speaker 2 (38:30):
I didn't intentionally walk. It was on accident, Okay.

Speaker 1 (38:33):
I mean I didn't throw it. It wasn't on accident.

Speaker 2 (38:36):
It was more of a pitture around her because she
played too much? And yeah, what is the definition of
play too much? Like, because why did you hit that?
You weren't supposed to hit that? Play too much? You're
doing too much? Okay, you already have too much this game,
Like because you didn't even know I had that pitch

(38:57):
and how you hit it. I just made that pitch
up and you hit it. Stuff like that.

Speaker 1 (39:03):
Yeah, well you don't ever intentionally want people. Is that
something you're just like fully against? I mean it's not
like I'm fully against it, but I'm just like, I
feel like that's a part of the game. Pitching and
hitting is a part of the game. Why, And I'm
gonna put my best stuff up against your best stuff?

Speaker 2 (39:25):
Like what's what's tea? You know, let's go, let's go. No,
I don't want to throw four intentional balls.

Speaker 1 (39:33):
What would you say if even if someone's just they've
come up, you go on extra innings, they've come up
three times, they've got to hit three times. There's runner
at second and third, two outs? Who is it, Sierra May?
It's a runner a second and third run, a second third,

(39:54):
two outs? Who's after Sierra? Mial?

Speaker 2 (39:58):
You gotta give me the old spill Danny coffee bruh.
I mmmm, I'm just gonna have to take it for
what it is.

Speaker 1 (40:10):
I'll probably throw it to Sierra, but I would throw around.

Speaker 2 (40:15):
Okay, I would try my best to make her get out,
like what, he's part of the game.

Speaker 1 (40:23):
I say that, would you even do that Wills character?
Oh Tani, because you know right now like he would
you intentionally? Would you say that without him? Okay? Would
you intentionally walk him right now?

Speaker 2 (40:36):
Still, it's like people are nervous throwing him because I've
seen him hit every ball over the wall.

Speaker 1 (40:40):
I'm just like, what bitch was that that? You just?
How did you even do that? Yeah? He's different all
the time, but it's still amazing the same you throw
to him. Uh, he's a I think I would throw
him like believable ball. Does that make sense? Yeah? But

(41:01):
he'll load stuff.

Speaker 2 (41:03):
You just have to like really, I don't know. I've
just seen him try to come hide in and he
smacked up.

Speaker 1 (41:10):
Stereo. Cool. Yeah, he's different. Okay, so you're pitching Game
four to like today, it wouldn't be it would be it.

Speaker 2 (41:24):
Would put us in the best position. Yeah, Like, what's
gonna put us in the best best posion? Do I
need a forced play? You know what I'm saying, which
I don't ever think putting more people on bass helps
me personally.

Speaker 1 (41:38):
The logic of that, it's scary, right, like they'll they'll low.
It's almost like I'm gonna load the bases. But it's easy.

Speaker 2 (41:46):
It's easy for a non picture to say, you just
put her on.

Speaker 1 (41:50):
How you gonna you you want to pitch hey in
the outfield? I don't. It don't look easy to me.
I'd be like, whoa, it's a sure doing that.

Speaker 2 (42:02):
But I'm saying, like for them to say, okay, we
want the force play, like the defense wants to force play,
just put her on, I'm like, but my mental, my
mental is telling me not to put her on.

Speaker 1 (42:11):
And throw to hurt Like I don't know. I feel
like I don't patuers and outfielders or like distance sisters
because in that scenario, right outfield's not really involved. Once
the ball is in the field, they don't want the
picture to get it, so you're not involved after that
takes place, right, so it's like we're both just kind

(42:31):
of watching. It's like, Okay, I hope this works. Y'all's
playing like I don't know.

Speaker 2 (42:39):
I'm just like, all right, whatever y'all want, I'm gonna
be a team player. I'm gonna be a team player
for sure.

Speaker 1 (42:44):
Do you have the biggest pet peeve for when you
throw to a batter that a batter would do a
pet peeve? Like what rubs your wrong way from a batter?
It's like, okay, girl, you really play too much? Like
if they take well now in the prolegue, you can't
take all.

Speaker 2 (43:00):
But I know in college when people would just like
stare at me and take forever to get in the box.

Speaker 1 (43:05):
What are we doing?

Speaker 2 (43:09):
Nothing rubs me? I'm staring bad, you know me. Let's go,
let's wrap this up. Come on, I'm ready to go.

Speaker 1 (43:19):
I wonder I'm yeah.

Speaker 2 (43:22):
Do you have when they foul off a million pitches?

Speaker 1 (43:24):
I'm ready? Like what we're doing?

Speaker 2 (43:28):
I mean, I know I'm a part of it too, like,
but like.

Speaker 1 (43:33):
Come on, I want I want you to get ahead.
I don't know, jeez, you open when they end up
striking out anyway, like after you end up striking well,
you know the coaches that we you know, we're like
excited about Okay, I got you, I got your next one.
Yeah I had, I had an eleven pitch a B.

(43:55):
Just then be ready for me out to see my
second a B. Yeah that's true? Or do you yeah?

Speaker 2 (44:10):
Oh, I think I think I have an idea.

Speaker 1 (44:14):
Thanks for stacking us from first to second base. We'll
be rounding third after the breaks. You open your own
to talking about a little earlier, opening your own softball
facility called six four three. It's open, it's rolling. You're

(44:35):
able to not only practice for yourself, but you are
able to help so many in your community get better
at the game of softball. And in these instances where
the ball they're fouling, the batter's filing off the pictures
too much, you're able to help them combat against the
other players that play too much. What would you say

(44:57):
is what really motivated you to want to open your facility?

Speaker 2 (45:01):
Well, this one what motivates me the most is it's
only women. It's only girls, So of course women empowerment
and I mean just giving back to the sport that's
given so much to me, Like, why not continue to
see this game, you know, going the up and up
and to be a part of it, to be able

(45:21):
to train girls and operate the building is I mean
if that was another dream come true for me. That's
something I always wanted to do as well, especially growing
up not having the things that we have in this facility.
So throw into a water well, I'm like, oh, now
I get to throw into a nice net, or now
I get to throw to a nice catcher.

Speaker 1 (45:41):
You know.

Speaker 2 (45:41):
So you know, just having that thought process and you know,
letting the girls know that you can come in here
and you know, build your craft however you want. You
don't need me whatever I'm here if you do, though,
but you know, build your craft in here, become a
bro in here, you know, be the best in here.

Speaker 1 (46:01):
Do whatever you need to do.

Speaker 2 (46:02):
So I think the biggest thing is it's all girls
and it's all women. That makes me smile.

Speaker 1 (46:08):
All girls, all women that you are continuing to impact.
And you talk about you being able to give them
the utilities and the gear that they that you didn't
have when you were growing up, when you were training
and you were throwing us to just throw into a water. Well, yeah,
you have to think it take fancy nets. No, I

(46:29):
mean the level of determination it takes to be able
to one do something that maybe you feel like hasn't
been done, whether it's in your community or you just
simply haven't seen it, and then just stay the course
on that. For someone that also is trying to do that,
they don't have the utilities, they don't have the facilities,
or they can't pay for it, and it may seem

(46:52):
like the future is bleak. How did you overcome those
situations or know that this is just this is just temporary.
I'm working towards something bigger.

Speaker 2 (47:01):
Yeah, I just think making something out of literally nothing.
I used to throw rocks and hit it with a stick,
making something out of nothing because I wanted to be great.
I wanted to be the Natasha Wally I wanted to be.
I would say at that time, like, yes, I had
big dreams that I truly truly think I could.

Speaker 1 (47:19):
Be where I am today. Oh you didn't think so.
I mean I did.

Speaker 2 (47:25):
But just coming from such a small town, you know,
people don't really like they don't truly believe it, you know, Like, yeah,
I believed it I believed I was really good at
what I did.

Speaker 1 (47:34):
I believe that, you.

Speaker 2 (47:35):
Know, I could play softball somewhere, But did I truly truly,
deep down think I would be right here?

Speaker 1 (47:42):
No now?

Speaker 2 (47:44):
And that just comes, I guess with growth and you know,
inspiration of the Natashaually's, the Catasamans, and you know, like
I didn't truly believe until college, maybe like deep down like, oh, yeah,
I'm pretty good.

Speaker 1 (47:59):
It's great, pretty good. You're one of the best to
ever walk through JMU, to step foot at the world.
See huh. Humbly speaking, I'll say it for you. Yeah,
I don't have to be humble for you. I'll say
it for you. You don't have to say And I mean, wow,
you talk about how you you didn't believe that you

(48:22):
could be in these positions until you got to to JMU,
the road to JMU. What allowed you the belief to
feel like you could play at that next level?

Speaker 2 (48:32):
I think the people in my corner who did believe
in me, because of course there were times where you know,
I would get oh, she gets the attitude, she has this,
she has that, and I mean the attitude comes from
like even now I see kids I'm like, gosh, they
remind me so much of myself, Like what are you
going through? Is it because you're from a small town?

(48:53):
Is it because I don't know, you were raised by
your grandparents. Like not saying like these are excuses or anything,
but like I see.

Speaker 1 (48:59):
So much the kids now.

Speaker 2 (49:03):
That I saw myself or that was me when I
was younger, And I'm like, geez, I know how to
I know know how to attack that. I know how
to handle that. You know what I'm saying because I've
been to that come from a small town, come from
you know, having not so much. I come from being
raised by my grandparents, Like I come from feeling like
I'm the underdog. Like I know how to work with
that now. So it is good too, you know, being

(49:25):
that be in this position where I'm like, Okay, I've
been through that.

Speaker 1 (49:28):
I got you, Like, it's fine. You need to bad.
We're gonna make you work. You need to go out.

Speaker 2 (49:33):
We're gonna make it work. You need some advice, were
gonna make it work. Why are you get in trouble?
As Like you know, I'm it feels good to be
in this position and you know already have gone through that.
The experiences and the the growth. So that's something I
can't be proud to say. I guess of course, what

(49:55):
humble speaking.

Speaker 1 (49:55):
Humble, right home seeking hashy for We talked about people
in the positions that maybe don't have what others may have,
or to reach high levels in your determination to make
it through and to get to where you want to be.
What about for the young black girls that are told
that maybe they shouldn't be a pitcher, they should go

(50:17):
to the outfield, or that to your point, they have
too much of an attitude, when really it's just you're
just being competitive. There's often times there's certain labels placed
on black women in the game that we don't see
on other players. For those that want to pursue pitching
and keep going with it, even though there's not too

(50:38):
many people to look to, what would you say to them?

Speaker 2 (50:43):
I'm gonna say, keep going. Nobody can't tell me what
I can and can I do. That is new eral No,
obviously right and wrong. Yes, your parents could tell your
right from wrong. But do not tell me I cannot pitch.
Do not tell me I can't do something, because as
puts more firing me to be like, yeah, I'm gonna
do it. I'm gonna make a way out of no way.

(51:05):
That's a song, isn't it. I'm sure it is so,
I'm sure it's the lyrics somewhere that's.

Speaker 1 (51:10):
This song somewhere.

Speaker 2 (51:12):
Okay, I'm gonna make a way out of no way
and we're gonna figure it out. And with me, that
was a thing I threw to a water well. Who
in the world like to look back?

Speaker 1 (51:25):
Now? I'm like, what getting it? D Literally with a stick,
let's go. You can make it happen, no matter no
matter what the circumstance looks like or what other people
are telling you.

Speaker 2 (51:38):
Yeah, keep going, Like everyone's journey is different. And two
people who really get that, they know your.

Speaker 1 (51:47):
Journey is different. And you know, I always think it's
so cool. It's like you walk down like some people
like walking down cobble roads, some people like walking down
the pave, some people like the back roads. Like we're
all have a different way of getting to where we
got to go, but there there's a scenic route right
or it is like now I'm trying to get to
point any point B, but all of us have different

(52:08):
methods of how we're going to get to our destination.
All that matters is that you get there well, you
as a pro athlete, as a business owner, as someone
that is building and continuing to give back to her community,
a coach, a step mom. Also, yeah, but you're a
dog mom also about to give her to your first baby.

(52:31):
You have so many people cheering you on, some people
in your corner. How do you define success when there's
so many things that you are truly excelling at.

Speaker 2 (52:42):
I think being at peace with all of it, like
truly being at peace with all of it, and you know,
just seeing how grateful I am because I walk out
now and I see you know, the homeless, and I
see you know, little things that just.

Speaker 1 (53:00):
I mean, I just want to do so much.

Speaker 2 (53:01):
I will give my clothes off of my back to
like homeless people. You know, God knows, God knows when
people are truly homeless. I'm just saying, but like just
I just you know, I've seen some some crazy stuff
with homeless people. I've seen a lot of stuff like
you're not even homeless? Why your car nicer than mine? Anyway,

(53:22):
I'm just saying, like, truly seeing how grateful I am
and accepting accepting my journey except accepting my failures and
accepting everything you know I've done wrong or whatever, to
get to like where I am today, to see the
growth and see all of the good that has happened because.

Speaker 1 (53:44):
The good I wasigte the bad. You know. I try
to stick to that for sure.

Speaker 2 (53:51):
I'm just grateful and being at peace with, you know,
being a wife, being a stepmom, being a dog mom,
being a my nieces technically I'm her mom too, Being
a good granddaughter whenever I can give back to my grandparents,
I do. You know, all of those things I'm at

(54:13):
peace with and I accept and I can truly say
that I love my life.

Speaker 1 (54:19):
I love where I'm at in life.

Speaker 2 (54:20):
Obviously, there's so much more that you know, I want
to do. I feel like I will do and you know,
one step at a time, and I feel like I'm
mentioning closer and closer to the.

Speaker 1 (54:30):
To that every day.

Speaker 2 (54:32):
So grateful and I love where I'm at.

Speaker 1 (54:36):
I'm trying to think about how you balance all that
your dog right now and then talking about adding on
to it. We've tried about to say, we truly are
the most formidable. There's no limit, no.

Speaker 2 (54:50):
No, there's no limit. I'm gonna stop it. I keep going.

Speaker 1 (54:54):
Honestly, well, now we're gonna keep going into what I
just call the fly zone segment, my favorite segment. If
you aren't the best example of pictures can also turn
me in field to a no fly zone. I don't
know that there is one, So like y'all, y'all, you
you and Alia a different fly zone out there. You

(55:15):
know there's there are different fly zones, but you still
be tearing it the field of two of flies? No
fly zone? What's that like? Five feet? Y'all? Got Like, y'all,
there's no comparison a bird, everybody, you know, no matter
how big the bird is, still flies, you know what
I mean? So that's what it is. What's the favorite

(55:38):
play you've ever made in your career? Okay?

Speaker 2 (55:42):
My favorite play would definitely be the diving play, because girl,
what were you doing?

Speaker 1 (55:47):
What do you mean? What were you doing? That's like
the most iconic pitching play ever I know.

Speaker 2 (55:53):
But I think in that moment, I was really like
ready to go, because right before I was ready to
go home and get the game over with, I was
ready to win and go to my hotel room and
take a bath or something, because it was an obstruction
call before that play, and I'm like, lord.

Speaker 1 (56:10):
If we tie this game up, I'm like, oh, so, yeah,
I was ready to go. I thought where it came from.

Speaker 2 (56:17):
At that point, it was what like three to four.
I think it was like two to one, and then
a girl that was on third. If she was scored,
the game, would it tied.

Speaker 1 (56:28):
Yes, but she should have never been at third, okay
from the obstruction. Yeah, so it's two to one, she's
at third, they do the butt, the squeeze play, she's
coming in, you get the ball, and did you have
any thoughts like did your mind say, okay, I gotta dive,
I gotta get her out, or you just reacted. I mean, well,
I guess the coach didn't think I was that as.

Speaker 2 (56:50):
I don't know if he thought, yeah he did this
is it was a very good butnt it was the
perfect butt for a squeeze play.

Speaker 1 (56:57):
I mean, what did you do? Yeah? It was. It was.
It was placed perfectly between the third and the picture
like it's no man's land. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (57:06):
The runner also hesitated like a little bit, so they
probably held up a little bit too, But I don't know.
I was just I was like, I know this is
not going to be obstruction, so let me go ahead
and just attack her.

Speaker 1 (57:15):
I'm just did you know, Mealy, you had to dive.
She was a little far, so yeah, she was diving.
I'm trying to dive. It was going on. It was
a lot going on, and you get the out and
everybody's like, what do we just shoot? Was a cucumber?

(57:37):
Yes I do this, guys, welcome my name. Yeah. Well yeah, like.

Speaker 2 (57:42):
That's stuff, Like Okay, I knew I could do that,
Like you know what I'm saying, like, no, I don't
practice it every day, but.

Speaker 1 (57:49):
Hey, that's my PfP. That's not the p Yeah, yes,
that's this is what I do.

Speaker 2 (57:57):
It's okay, Yeah, I'll say that play was pretty cool.

Speaker 1 (58:02):
Yeah, it was pretty cool. Just just save the game.
Probably altered how a lot of people pitch or problem.
I'm sure people's practices now changed a lot. With the
pictures and what they have to do and the plays
you have to make, you kind of set a new
standard right there. You set the clock back a little bit.
You gotta go get that again. So the motto for

(58:23):
all pictures in a moment like that should be what
go get it? Okay, go get it? Go get her,
Go get it, Go get her. Nobody safe. Wait, I love.

Speaker 2 (58:38):
That nobody saved. That one's better nobody.

Speaker 1 (58:43):
But when I when you said go get it, go
get her, immediately thought of the Nike slogan just do it.

Speaker 2 (58:49):
It's like, Okay, go get it, just do it. Yes, see,
nobody is safe. It's tough though.

Speaker 1 (58:55):
Yeah, I know you're right. Nobody safe. Literally, if you're
a picture, that's the mottol should create birds. Nobody put
that in just the imagery of you diving to that
girl loud. I might hey see you just add add
into my list? Might do that, added to the added
to the list of things that you're going to accomplish.
As you continue to add on to add it to

(59:17):
the list, would you say, then that's probably the key
to being an elite picture. Absolutely nobody safe. Or what
is the mentality to have? That's the one I want
nobody to touch base. No one is touching the base.
And then when if they do touch the base, then

(59:38):
what so what Okay? Next? Better? Next? Better? And this
one is definitely not Yeah this will I let you go? Right?
That was a favor, that was exactly it. You gotta
have that modo though you know it's true. I think
you have to have it at the plate too, like

(59:59):
and if you strike, go out your first av But
all right, she got me once, she ain't give me twice. Right,
you got me the second time. Listen, nobody got me
out of third. You're not doing this three times? Yeah,
keep going, Yes, but failure is how we ultimately reach
our biggest successes. And so what would you say, is

(01:00:19):
maybe your favorite failure that's led you to your favorite success.

Speaker 2 (01:00:24):
I feel like all of them have led me. I
can't like remember like one game where I'm.

Speaker 1 (01:00:31):
Like, geez, did I give up a home run? Like
the seventhing.

Speaker 2 (01:00:36):
You don't remind Lely Lely always says like, oh I
have this seven inning curse. I'm like, Lely, you don't,
you really don't. And she tells this story all the
time when she was at Florida and she like gave up.
I don't know if it was a Grand Slam or what,
but something that ended the game. I guess they were
going to the World Series or something. And I'm like, oh, yeah,
that had to be tough, buddy, But no one remembered.

(01:00:59):
I'm like Leo for you, No one remembers that, but you,
like I when I watch you, literally, I'm like, you
were really.

Speaker 1 (01:01:06):
Good and you were very inspirational.

Speaker 2 (01:01:07):
I don't remember that game at all, but to us,
we're like, bro, I just lost.

Speaker 1 (01:01:13):
We all remember, we all remember our worst moments, and
everybody's like, I don't even know that happened because we're
all focused on ourselves. So it's like, if you were
a part of my worst moment, you probably remember your
worst moment in that worst moment, not me exactly. Not me.

Speaker 2 (01:01:26):
I didn't do anything, but I can say from all
I feeled a lot. I've learned from them all. It
took me a long time to get to this point, though,
to be able to say, like, it is what it is.

Speaker 1 (01:01:39):
M h cool.

Speaker 2 (01:01:41):
I've worked my butt off to be this professional athlete,
and we're human and we make mistakes, and to be
able to accept that, Okay, I just messed up.

Speaker 1 (01:01:51):
Cool.

Speaker 2 (01:01:52):
Next, next game, next, whatever, next pitch, next next.

Speaker 1 (01:01:59):
Was there something change for you or something that do
you remember a moment when you kind of adopted that
mentality it finally happened. I don't know. Maybe in the
worlds ended up losing.

Speaker 2 (01:02:13):
I'm like, well, what can I say, because I pitched
every game, I gave everything I had. Your girl ran
out of gas, and I'm just like.

Speaker 1 (01:02:22):
I gave it my all.

Speaker 2 (01:02:23):
Like what can you say when you give you all
and you can give your best like we lost whatever.

Speaker 1 (01:02:29):
No, it's it's real, though, What can you say at
the end of the day, if you can live your
life to your point with no regrets, like I genuinely
gave it my all, that makes sense that the that
would be the adoption of it. It just it is.
It just is because there's nothing I could have done
to make this any better. I truly did it all,

(01:02:50):
and so if this is still the outcome that comes
from that, then then it just is.

Speaker 2 (01:02:55):
It is like think about I think about it all
the time. Like we play one of the hardest sports
of all time.

Speaker 1 (01:03:01):
We do. Mm hmm, what do you think what sport is?
Like scientifically proven it's harder to hit a ball? Coming
out is so hard.

Speaker 2 (01:03:11):
Yeah, And to think, say a three hundred bad average
is like very very good. So say out of ten,
what that that's three out of ten you failed with
tests in school. Now you fail in the tests in
school three out of ten. That just shows you how hard. Okay,
you've hit the ball three times out of ten.

Speaker 1 (01:03:32):
Mm hmm, that's really good. That congrats. Yeah, we're like, no,
you're doing you're doing great. Like what just just the thought?

Speaker 2 (01:03:46):
You know, So you fail way more hunt you feel
way more than you succeed in softball or baseball whatever
it's it's hard.

Speaker 1 (01:03:56):
I'm going to say softball because the right basical period
or whatever. You fail more than you succeed. They do me.
Way to actually succeed is to first fail, yes, and
you have to accept accept that like okay, yep, it's okay,

(01:04:17):
accept it. And next, like the only way to go
to the next is for you to accept that one failure,
learn from it, and then boom.

Speaker 2 (01:04:25):
And go to the next. And you said, than done, Jazz, You.

Speaker 1 (01:04:30):
Know it is. I think it's success is going from
one failure to another without loss of momentum. That's true.
That's the only way to truly succeed literally literally, Well,
you have had success, whether it's on the field, whether
it is starting your own business, whether it is coaching.

(01:04:54):
And I know you're going to be just as successful
as a mommy. I know your mommy to your beautiful
stepdaughter right now, wait for h JB. Whatever she may be,
I'm excited for I'm excited for the drop, the drop
of the album name. I'm excited. I'll give you it

(01:05:15):
one more hint.

Speaker 2 (01:05:16):
Let's see if you'll get it. Both the names though
the last letters.

Speaker 1 (01:05:21):
Oh, what do you mean? Both the names two? It's
two that I am.

Speaker 2 (01:05:27):
It starts with h ends with.

Speaker 1 (01:05:29):
The was the second one man was for the second
one start with of h Oh. Okay, they're both.

Speaker 2 (01:05:37):
Hes mm hmmm both and with oh Halo.

Speaker 1 (01:05:43):
That's one Halo. That is one, Hello, Halo, You're closed.
The second one's close really hollow Halo, Hello, Hello, Hello,
Hello Halo or Harlow Harlow, Harlow Halo. Oh oh oh

(01:06:07):
those are the options. Yes, whatever reason I'm thinking, you
were giving her two first names, and it was gonna
be like, Hello, Halo.

Speaker 2 (01:06:17):
Oh, breaking news news, breaking news.

Speaker 1 (01:06:24):
Put a red tape at the bottom of this breaking news,
breaking news, breaking news. Is baby's name is. Yes, it's
gonna be Harlow or Halo. If it's Halo, she has
to be an outfielder.

Speaker 2 (01:06:38):
Ley.

Speaker 1 (01:06:39):
You're right, Yeah, I was thinking about her, and that's
all I say. Hello, Hello, Hello, Yay, that's so cute.

Speaker 2 (01:06:50):
Well, I know, Harlow, Harlow, is it Harlow? I think
I want to do the middle name Joy though.

Speaker 1 (01:06:57):
Yeah, I like that though, Harlow Joy, Halo Jade, No
wait that actually those are that goes perfect? Yeah, I
don't know yet. Anyway, I'm going to be excited no
matter what. They're both beautiful, She's going to be beautiful.
And honestly, thank you so much for showing us the

(01:07:17):
power of women, the power of being able to get
it all done, and the fact that we don't have
a limit to what it is that we can do
or we can achieve. And if you have ten things
on your schedule and you want to add ten more,
just know you can get it done. You gotta put
our affirmation. I am woman, I am strong. Everywhere I am,

(01:07:40):
I belong. It's hard work, it's fate. As a woman,
my strength is innate. Remember girl forgot, don't worry. Thank
you so much for joining me on Johnny Gamons. Yes,
finally I know where I made happen. Just do it more. Well,

(01:08:01):
thank you guys all so much for joining us today.
To my listeners, thank you for listening today's episode. As
remember your strength is innate, just like outis see Alexander
and out to see Alexander Bennett. And when it comes
down to going out and being the best picture on

(01:08:22):
the field, nobody's safe.

Speaker 2 (01:08:26):
No, no, nobody's safe.

Speaker 1 (01:08:28):
Remember that nobody is safe. Nobody's save. Literally, Thank you
guys so much for joining me, and I'll meet you
here next week back on the Diamond Bye for now.
Dropping Diamonds with Aj Andrews is an iHeart women's sports

(01:08:50):
production and partnership with Athletes Unlimited Softball League and Deep
Blue Sports and Entertainment. I'm your host AJ Andrews. Our
executive producer is Jesse katz Arii Harrison is our supervising producer,
and this episode was mixed and mastered by Mary Do.
Listen to Dropping Diamonds with Aja Andrews on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. M