Olivia Baker '19 Recruiting Profile

Hello!!!

My Name is Olivia Baker, everyone just calls me Libby. I have played softball for 7 Years and have loved every minute. I began learning to pitch at age 9 and my first pitching Coach was Carl Phillips from Ariton, Alabama. Mr. Carl taught me the basic mechanics of pitching and helped me learn to have the mound presence to work through some tough innings early in my pitching career. He taught me to have a competitive spirit and play for my Team Mates. I began training at Wiregrass Sports Academy at age 10 with Coach Munn. Coach Munn taught me the fundamentals to increase my speed and control. Coach Munn patiently taught me each spin pitch and the importance of the proper trajectory and spin for each one to move and be effective. Coach Munn made me become proficient with one pitch before he would teach me another. I did not understand why I could not learn multiple pitches and work on several spin techniques but as my skills have progressed, I understand now that Coach Munn wanted to build one spin pitch from another and help me have command of each one. Coach Munn began batting instruction with me this Year. My batting average and on base percentage has went through the roof as a result of him helping me to improve my mechanics at the plate and increasing the quality of my plate appearances.

I have a deep desire to continue to learn more about Softball and the strategy needed to compete at the highest levels of this sport. I want to obtain a quality education and play Softball after High School. I am working on my batting and pitching skills at least three times a week and I have competed with my school from February to May. I started competing with Travel Teams after school ball ended and plan to compete until the end of November. I will start my 8 week training program in November and my goal is to increase my pitching speed by 4 mph before my school season begins.

I am a member of Pine level Baptist Church and I enjoy going to Church and spending time with my Youth Group. Meredith Waddell is my Teacher and she is awesome. She has been a great encouragement to me in Softball and my spiritual walk. Mrs. Waddell is a Teacher at my school and Teaches Children with special needs.

               In closing I would like to emphasize my desire to get better as a player and learn to compete at the highest levels of this sport. I am a hard worker and take pride in my work ethic. I hope that I can learn enough about Softball to maybe one day give back some of what Softball has given to me. I would like to one day be a High School Softball Coach !!