Our Labor Day prospect spotlight takes us to the Show Me State where we profile a top junior who’s headed to Notre Dame…

 

Name: MADISON HEIDE
Grad Year: 2016
Pos: C/3B/SS
High School: Notre Dame de Sion (Mo.)
Club: DeMarini Aces                                                               
Honors: National Honors Society, Student Ambassador, Honor Roll     
College: Notre Dame

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FullCountSoftball.com: Now that school has started, what are your goals or big plans for 2014-15?
Madison Heide: This year my focused has changed from looking to find a school to really getting stronger and faster.  I want to make an impact on the summer season and prepare myself for collegiate athletics.

FCS.com: Your reputation is one of being a great athlete… have you played—or still play—other sports? Where do you think you got your overall abilities, does sports run in the family?
MH:  I also play basketball, and love running.  Sports run in the family, my dad played baseball in college and we have always centered ourselves around athletics.  I wouldn’t say we come by our ability naturally, there was a lot of work put into it, but my competitive nature and love for softball has been ingrained from the beginning.

FCS.com: You’re also known for your versatility: Coach Ryan Taylor of the Aces says you can play everything on the field but pitcher and that “put her on the baseball field and she can chuck it as far as the boys!” What is your preferred position and where has Notre Dame said they see you lining up?
MH: I honestly just love to play softball.  As long as I am on the field, I don’t care where I am at. But I think Notre Dame sees me behind the plate, which is wonderful.

FCS.com: Speaking of the Irish, talk about how they first discovered you and then how long until they offered?
MH:  Notre Dame first saw me at the Independence Day tournament in Colorado.  They then followed me to a couple more tournaments.  I went out to their camp and everything just fell into place.

FCS.com: Was there that one moment when it hit you that Notre Dame was it or did the school grow on you over time?
MH: When I went out to campus I completely fell in love with Notre Dame.  One night I was just sitting around, and I was like, “I want to be at Notre Dame.”  It is seriously a dream.

FCS.com: What was the top factors that led you to pick Notre Dame?
MH:  I wanted a prestigious academic school and a competitive softball program that would be able to contend for a National Championship.  I also love the family atmosphere and coaching staff Notre Dame has.

FCS.com: Describe the circumstances—where were you, who was with you, etc.—when you did tell them you’d be coming?
MH: We had just finished PGF and I knew Notre Dame was where I wanted to be. I texted my dad, who was at home and he just said, “Okay, make it happen” and I did.

FCS.com: How far away from home will be? Was distance a factor in your decision at all?
MH: Notre Dame is 10 hours away from Kansas City but distance was never a factor in choosing a school. I didn’t want to limit myself based on how far away I would be from home.

FCS.com: Talk about playing softball in Missouri… you play in the fall, correct? Do you think that makes a difference one way or the other in terms of player development and also exposure?
MH: Yes school softball starts in the fall. Player development at my school is particularly hard because there is such a differentiation of skill. Once high school is over, my competitive team still manages to go to some of the top fall tournaments, but the hardest part is not having a lot of practice time before we jump into playing.

FCS.com: What’s been a top memory or two for you in your softball career?
MH: When I was 11 and 12 we won the USSSA World Series.  When I was 13, we lost our second bracket game and played 7½ games and we had to stop and finish the last game the next day because of lightning.  We ended up getting second in the tournament, but that was one of the best days of my life. We fought so hard and never died.

 

Quick Hitters

 

Have you Notre Dame items have you purchased so far (and what are they)?
I bought my dad a Notre Dame polo so he could show it off at work and a couple t-shirts.

If you weren’t spending all the hours on softball you do, what would you do to fill that time?
I love being apart of a team, so I would probably find another sport to play.

What do you think of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge phenomenon… have you done it?
Yes I have done the challenge.  I think it’s a fun way to spread awareness and show people they really can do something to help.

Favorite food:
I love frozen yogurt and probably eat it everyday.

Least favorite food:
None, I really just like food!

Favorite color:
Navy Blue

Color you wouldn’t be caught dead wearing (at least a lot of)?
I don’t know (laughs).

What’s your dream vacation?
A tropical vacation with my family

What would be your dream job?
Something that I could travel and be around people.  I love to experience life, and I don’t want to sit at a desk all day.

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
I started catching when I started high school.

What’s your life philosophy in one sentence?
Be so good they can’t ignore you.

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take one thing with you, what would it be?
My dad!

Do you have any softball superstitions or rituals?
I never wash my headbands until I have a bad game, and I always put on my right shin guard on before my left.

Do you think softball players get enough respect from other athletes at your school?
I go to an all-girls school, and although we don’t have large numbers coming to try out or to support our games, we all respect each other.