A very fun read today as our player in the spotlight talks about how she wasted very little time in committing once offered by a Big 12 school!  This former football player is also tearing it up in high school ball which has started for her already…

 

Name: HAYLEIGH GALVAN
Grad Year: 2016
Pos: catcher/utility
High School: Sequoyah Tahlequah (Okla.)
GPA: 3.85 GPA
Club: Tulsa Elite ‘98                                                               
Stats: Currently for high school: .792 batting average, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 6 walks
Honors:               
College: Oklahoma State
 

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FullCountSoftball.com: Your team, Tulsa Elite 98, had a great summer although you came up just short in winning a National Title.  Do you look back happy on how you did or motivated to take the next step?
Hayleigh Galvan:  A little bit of both. I look back happy on how we did because we had a very successful season. I am motivated to take the next step because we didn’t win the National Championship.

 

FCS: Your reputation is that you have a very strong arm and great ball exit speed… accurate?  How would you scout or evaluate your strengths defensively and offensively?
HG:  Defensively I would say I block well and have a strong accurate arm. But need to work more on pick off moves and even better accuracy. Offensively, I have very little strikeouts and hit for average with power.

 

FCS:  A few states like Oklahoma play high school ball in the fall… how does that work with your club play—do you still have practices and tournaments in the fall—and do you like it this way or wish it was in the spring?
HG:  The schedule works well with my club ball play. Nationals ends right before school starts. The fall showcases start after my High School Softball State Tournament. I like it better in the fall because I go right into school ball in shape and used to playing at a high level.

 

FCS: So you recently committed to Oklahoma State… tell us how you were first seen by the coaches and how the process went up until the offer (and when was that)?
HG:  The coaches saw me first last year. This summer they showed an even greater presence at my games. I found out they were interested so I set up a visit on August 14 and they offered that day.

 

FCS.com: When did you decide to commit and what led into the decision?
HG:  After the visit, I walked out of the office impressed with the campus, facilities, and coaching staff. I made it to the parking lot and stopped. I looked at my parents and told them “I really want to play here.” I thought it would be better to tell Coach (Rich) Wieligman in person than over the phone, so we walked back into his office and I accepted the offer.

 

FCS.com: How cool is it that not only are you staying closer to home by going to OSU, but you’re playing in the Big 12 at a high level of competition… what does that mean to you?
HG:  It is very cool. I’ve been an OSU fan for a while. I’m honored and humbled the coaches have confidence that I can play at that level. Playing in the Big 12 means that I have accomplished one of my goals and that there is still more work to be done.

 

FCS.com: You were also recruited by major schools like Arkansas, Kansas, Louisville and others… did you have a process or system, like a “strengths/weaknesses” list in considering the schools or was it simply a gut feeling?
HG:  I had a notebook of pros and cons of each school. I visited both Kansas and Arkansas’s campus and loved both of the campuses. But after visiting OSU, I knew that’s where I belong.

 

FCS.com:  Which universities did you also check out and what did you like about each?
HG:  I visited Tulsa my freshman year and visited Kansas and Arkansas my sophomore year. They all have nice facilities. I liked how close TU was to home. I liked the locker rooms at Kansas. I also liked the suites you could reserve at Arkansas for a home game.

FCS.com: How far away from home will be?  Was distance a factor in your decision at all?
HG:  I will be about an hour and 45 minutes from home. No, distance was not a factor in my decision. I would have chose OSU even if it was seven hours away.

 

FCS.com: Having now finished the process, what advice would you give to younger recruits about to be recruited?
HG:  Be respectful to your teammates, parents, and coaches. Always give 100% on and off the field and NEVER GIVE UP.

 

FCS.com: What’s been a top memory or two for you in your softball career?
HG:  The most memorable moment in my softball career was when I hit a home run and the ball shattered the back window of a black Tahoe!

Quick Hitters

 

What do you want to do once your playing career is over?  
Use my degree in Forensic Science as a Crime Scene Investigator.

Tell us what you’re most proud of being from your part of Oklahoma (and what it’s known for):  
I live in Fort Gibson, the oldest town in Oklahoma.

If you were granted one wish, what would you do with it?  
Go back and watch Babe Ruth play baseball.

Favorite color:  
Blue.

Least favorite color:  
Pink.

What superhero power would you most like to have and why?  
I’d want to have super human strength because then I could do anything I would want.

Favorite way to unwind:  
Watch movies with my parents.

What’s your dream vacation?  
My dream vacation would have to be going to Hawaii and learning how to surf.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?  
“Push yourself until you can’t go no more. And when you reach that point, go even farther.”

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
I used to play football when I was younger.

Describe yourself in one word?  
Competitive.

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take one thing with you, what would it be? 
A knife so I can use it to build other weapons and to able to hunt for food.

Best thing about softball:  
Building friendships that last a lifetime.