"The Opportunity In Front of Us" - By Sydney Supple
4/27/2023 5:08:00 PM | Softball
Kate opened up this week with five hard-hitting points that went straight to our hearts. One that particularly stood out to me was, "People think that if you are a champion, you don't get hit. It's actually the opposite. Champions get hit over and over and over. But the champion is the one who DECIDES to keep moving forward. How many punches can you take to keep moving forward?" This particular quote encapsulates exactly what we endured this past weekend in Michigan.
Friday night was a soul-testing battle, going eleven innings deep into the night. Both teams left everything they had on the field in game one. After a tremendous effort of grit and perseverance, we walked away on top. My mind still replays the image of Kelsey Nader screaming on second base to the dugout, and it was at that exact moment that I knew no one on this team would stop fighting until we won.
Saturday, we took the punches. It is as simple as that. This game knows how to build you up one second and humble you the next, but it's what the quote emphasized that getting hit does not mean you are not a champion. You decide if you are a championship team by how you get back up and move forward to fight the next day. We came into Sunday with one thing on our mind, to walk on the field with confidence, and that is precisely what we did. Nothing was handed to us Sunday, and we worked for every shutout inning and run that we scored. Still, it was in our decision not to let Saturday define us, but to trust who we are and what we know how to do that propelled us into winning the series for the first time in program history at Michigan's Stadium.
If you happen to catch a glimpse of Sunday's game, you will see what I believe should be one of SportsCenter's Top 10 plays, Lauren Boyd showing what an ATHLETE she is on the mound. Being able to field our positions is something we take great pride in at Northwestern and to watch her do her thing was amazing.
Lauren Boyd does it all! ??#NCAASoftball x ?? BTN / @NUSBcatspic.twitter.com/Nry1ngMYuo
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) April 23, 2023
Before I move on and look ahead at this weekend, I do want to take a moment and say what an honor it was to be a part of the renaming of Michigan's stadium to Carol Hutchins' Stadium. What she has done for Title IX, the sport of softball, and at Michigan is incredible and a legacy that will continue to impact lives for generations to come. As a team, we all wrote her a small note of congratulations before the weekend, and I truly believe that is what this game is all about—looking past the different uniforms at times and honoring what the person next to you is doing for women and celebrating and thanking them for it. Thank you, Coach Hutch, for the opportunities you have helped pave the way for in softball and specifically within the Big Ten.
Now onto what everyone is waiting for, our last Big Ten home series. This weekend will be filled with festivities: from BSA night on Friday, to celebrating our alumni as well as the one and only Coach Sharon J. Drysdale on Saturday, and lastly, senior day on Sunday. I am still here writing this, baffled at how quickly the four years have blown by, and I can truly say I would not change them for the world. What this place and these people have meant to me is something I will continue to search for words that carry enough weight to show how much I love them. However, the priority this weekend lies against one opponent and the opportunity that we have in front of us to claim the Big Ten Title. This weekend will be one to remember… let's pack The J, 'Cats fans!!
Sincerely,
Sydney Supple #26
