Natalie VanderPloeg '22 Recruiting Profile

While growing up I've been taught to always do my best, to give 110% into everything I do. This includes striving to find the light of every situation and to see the best in people. Having a positive mindset is the key to achieving that 110%, which is why I aim to acquire such thinking. I believe the only thing that can hold someone back is their own self. When you’ve played the game for so long, you struggle to figure out if continuing to play is what you truly want. I have experienced this myself as a player. I have been playing club softball since I was 11, in addition to playing school basketball and volleyball. Being a three sport athlete in Junior High took a toll on me. I contemplated dropping club softball because it was becoming too difficult for me to juggle the time commitment as a 7th grader. Then I realized that there is nothing too difficult to overcome if it means I am able to play the sport I love. This realization enabled me to see that mentality is a huge aspect for a student-athlete. There is no way of telling if I would still be playing club softball if  I did not have a positive mentality and love for the game.

Not only am I committed to being a student-athlete, I am committed to my family and community as well. Through FFA I am able to contribute to my community. As an FFA member I am required to have an SAE (supervised agricultural experience) project. My project is constructing and caring for a garden where I plant and harvest food that is then donated to members of my community. Although being a contributing member of my community and a successful student-athlete are very important to me, being there for my family comes first. My family is always there to support me with everything I do. I feel obligated to be there for them in return. My family is my motivation to pursue greatness. To me greatness is reaching what you have been striving for. Reaching greatness in my high school academic career, would be becoming Valedictorian of my graduating class and receiving an academic scholarship. Athletically, I am doing everything I can to help each of my school teams and my club softball team to achieve their highest potential while also constantly improving my skills and respecting and honoring the game.