Perpetual tanlines and shoulder soreness are signature features I have sported since I was 10 years old. Now, I officially conclude my softball career as a student-athlete, embodying the game beyond these familiar physical attributes.
My entry into sports began in search of an outlet. After trying out swimming and choir singing, I decided to commit to softball—the sibling sport to my older brother’s baseball. I was happy to step out of the comfort of the shade and join the action on the field.
After my first year of playing the sport, I qualified for my middle school’s varsity team, and it was quickly time to pick up the pace. Ready to give what I could, I attended training sessions every week, not knowing all that I was about to gain.
Through the countless game-filled weekends and out-of-town tournaments, I got a glimpse of softball past the bounds of the diamond through the warmth and passion of the people I encountered.
In every competition that we participated in, my teammates easily became family, especially with all the time building toward something greater than all of us: a connection we carry off the field and the foundation of many fond memories and life-long friendships. Not only did we learn the skills needed to play the game as a unit, but we also grasped what it meant to challenge and believe in one another at any stage. There is no support quite like the trust and faith shared among girls on a softball team.
I witnessed what softball was really about through the hardworking people—coaches, team managers, and tournament organizers—continuously cultivating the game locally. They honed athletes to be excellent ball players, paving the way for softball to become the key to their future. While softball was a simple outlet for me, I saw how it became a grand opportunity for many other athletes to secure what may have been a distant dream.
These people inspired me to continue playing the game for as long as I could keep up. My contribution was to play alongside driven and talented people dedicated to elevating the game for the athletes to follow.
With every season that passed, I had only hoped that the culmination of my efforts on the field would lead me to play at the college level. Gratefully, I seized the chance to play for the Blue and White, granting me an experience I will never forget. Despite the pandemic slowing things down, I cherished the time I had with my best friends and teammates as we gave what we could to the sport together—from start to finish.
12 years down the line, I still cannot believe that I am wrapping up my softball career with two University Athletics Association of the Philippines appearances and a myriad of invaluable experiences. Game results and statistics are but a blur to me now, as the priceless values and lessons are what I take away from the field.
I am forever grateful to the people who endlessly believed in me and my capabilities. I would not be the person I am today if not for the unwavering support of my coaches, team managers, teammates, and family. Though not an exceptional run by any means, softball took me distances I could not have imagined as a fourth grader starting out.
Looking into a mirror now, I see a person ever-changed by the game and the people that made it so, with recovering tanlines and shoulder soreness. Softball has taught me how to give my all to something regardless of the outcomes because the greatest rewards were born out of the passion and love I had put towards the sport. Equipped with instilled values and the support of my people, I wish to be granted the privilege to give my all to something again as I step off the field.
Alia is a senior majoring in Communications Technology Management expecting to graduate in 2024. Aside from being an athlete, her interest in telling stories influences her study of Marketing and her connection to audio-visual formats. Her parents live in Quezon City, but she lives in the moment.
Editor’s Note: The views and opinions expressed by the opinion writer do not necessarily state or reflect those of the publication.
