The Journey

Posted on: May 19, 2025 at 09:27:00 CT

The Journey
Eighteen years ago, Julia officially started playing softball at the age of four. Every
single year, she answered the bell and grinded out season after season. Recalling all the time
spent traveling to and from, the dinners, time spent at the field and in hotel rooms, I imagine that
would total nearly five years of this magical experience.
Through this amazing softball expedition, I rarely spoke about the experience because it
is OUR journey, and I wanted to keep it that way - which is why I find it both puzzling and
humbling to share just a glimpse into the last year of our trek.
It has been an absolute pleasure to watch the last year unfold for Julia - though I have
seen it play out over an 18 year period. The commitment, competitiveness and challenges she
displayed and overcame throughout the year - proves the final year was the best year.
Up to her senior year, her career in Columbia had been extremely challenging. As the
number two recruit in the country, she sat while super-seniors took the field day-in and day-out.
It was tough; especially knowing she could have played in front of some of those girls, but she
rode it out. In fact, when I joked that rumors were swirling that she was going to transfer, she
rolled her eyes and then looked at me and said, “Dad, they just do not know that this is where I
want to be”.
Fast-forward to her sophomore year. Eighteen games into the season, she took over the
starting catcher role and would never relinquish it. She was hitting .382 at the time of the
position change. By the end of the year, she was hitting .185 and had lost 12 pounds of muscle.
Her body was bruised, beaten, and tired, she vowed she would do whatever it took to make the
team successful. Was it hard to see the struggles at the plate? Of course it was. Did she
sacrifice her offense to focus on her defense? Absolutely. That is what the team needed and her
body could not put a good swing on the ball.
To see the difference defensively between her sophomore and junior year was amazing.
To say she embraced becoming one of the best catchers in the SEC would be an understatement.
Again, she started the year hitting over .400. She caught 62 of 64 games. Professional catchers
do not catch at that rate. Julia lost 14 pounds of muscle last year. Again, mid-way through the
year, she lost her swing and struggled. Defensively, she was one of the best in the SEC.
The gut-punch absorbed by losing to Duke during super-regional play was almost
unbearable. I always found it perplexing how the nerves I had as a parent were far worse than
what I experienced as a player or coach. The same can be said for any high or any low during
the course of this journey.
In Julia’s senior year, all of the components came together except for her health. While
lifting after Christmas, she hurt her back to the point she could barely get out of bed or walk to
her car. She had to return to campus two weeks early for e-rays and treatment. Spring practice
began with limited mobility and she could not swing a bat without agonizing and sometimes
unbearable pain. Her response, “It is my senior year, and I will get through it”.
The first weekend in Florida, each time she swung and missed, she said the pain was
piercing her spine, yet she continued to battle through it. Each morning was treatment, lidocaine
and then practice or a game. Only the last 20 games was she pain free from her back injury.
The Journey
Finally pain free, she gets hit leading off the middle game of the Mississippi State series.
It was evident she was hurt. She had to be taken out of the game so the medical staff at
Mississippi State could x-ray her wrist. Of course, we received the news we did not want to hear
- it was broken.
Sitting in the bullpen with Julia after the x-ray was read in Starkville, the trainers told her
the season, along with her career, were over. She promised all of us it was not.
After returning to campus on Sunday and another x-ray on Monday, the Mizzou doctors
informed Julia her season was over. She replied, “You told Brady Cook he could not play, but he
did. So you will not keep me from playing.”
She played the last month of the season with a broken wrist. Offensively and defensively,
she did not miss a beat. Julia said it was painful, but for Mizzou and her team, it was worth it.
Looking back, Julia could have gone to Texas, Kentucky, Louisville, and Ohio State,
among many others. It proved, taking her to Mizzou football and softball games since her birth
were well worth it.
The position and physical sacrifice to help her team win and bring pride to the Mizzou
softball program was well received and well worth it.
Julia has lived her dream. It was her hard work and dedication to her craft that made her
journey such a pleasure. I do want to thank Coach Anderson for Julia’s offer and for the
University of Missouri for treating her so well and opening up many opportunities.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you Julia. Being your dad is really awesome!
#truedaughter #girldad