Olivia Kelly '22 Recruiting Profile

I started playing softball when I was 4 years old. At 9 years old I played in All-Stars, then joined a travel team and have played with the same group of girls since. During middle school I played on the varsity teams all three years. In high school as a freshman I played on varsity as a pinch runner, because that was the role needed. Beginning my sophomore season I played a much larger role, starting in Left Field and hitting leadoff in the lineup.

I started playing softball at a young age and played to have fun, as I’ve grown older I love to play because of the competitive environment and the great memories I’ve made because of it. Since I’ve played with the same group of girls on my travel team for so long, we have become very close friends and enjoy traveling together plus hanging out with each other off the field. The strong relationships that I have with my teammates help us play better together on the field and trust each other (holding each other accountable). When I started high school softball I was surrounded by different people who challenged me and helped to make my confidence level higher as a player and a person. My role on the team this year was leading by example with my actions;  I showed my grit and competitiveness from off-season conditioning thru pre-season practices. I have a love for the game which inspired other players to focus on improving their individual skills to help our overall team. This coming year I want to keep my role as a leader, become more vocal and improve my skills for our team to be successful. 

Playing ball at the next level in college has always been a dream of mine, as it will help me grow as an individual and allow me to play the game I love for as long as I can. My strong commitment and passion for both academics and athletics has prepared me to be ready for the next level of my education and softball. As a strong vocal leader and leader by actions, I know I am ready to play at the next level.