Andi Jarvis is our triple threat secret weapon: she writes blogs, does videos and takes pictures for us!  The senior catcher who attends Foothill High in Orange County, Calif. and played for the OC Batbusters-Briggs club team this summer, has committed to Maryland along with her twin sister, Ari.

In today’s blog, Andi talks about reaching the goal she and her teammates had set for over a year–winning a National Championship.  And, along the way, how  they all learned what it means to work hard and push themselves beyond what they thought they could accomplish!

Be sure to see Andi and her teammates at her prom this spring in a special photo gallery!

Check out her recap of how she and twin sister Ari committed to Maryland

Click here to see one of her great video blogs, this one called “A Day in the Life of a Softballer”

 

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Hello all my fellow softballers! It’s good to be back.

When Brentt Eads first asked me to blog a little about my teams experience winning the 18U PGF Platinium National Championship this year, it was a bit of a challenge.   Because there are really two stories here for me so I hope you’ll be patient and read to the end. Clearly, there is a message here for everyone.

First and foremost… the National Title. What can I say? Well, I can say a lot, as this summer was quite the success for not only my team, OC Batbusters Briggs 18U, but for the entire OC Batbusters organization as well. But I’m here now to tell you about my team.

For us, we had the pleasure and honor of taking home the PGF 18U Platinum title. What that really means is that I couldn’t feel more accomplished—as well as happy—with each and every one of my teammates. It was a long, long summer and a lot of work, but so worth it in the end.

We went to three PGF qualifiers in Arizona, So Cal and Las Vegas and spent two weeks on the road attending the Chicago Demarini Invitational and the Georgia Legacy Showcase; all of this in order to hone our skills and bring the team together in preparation for the main event – the PGF 18U Platinum National Championships.

By the time PGF came around, we were all tired—believe me—but we had our minds on one goal: a National Title. We knew it would be tough, it had been a long summer and we all worked hard and sacrificed a lot. But during the week of PGF we took it one game at a time, one at-bat at a time and one pitch at a time. And we trusted each other, and it paid off big time.

Bracket play was no breeze, every game was a close one. But we knew we had what it would take, we believed in ourselves and each other, and the team and coaches attitude was everything. Our dugout was alive, the field was alert, we had fresh arms when and where we needed them, and we had an amazing pitching staff with my sister Ari, Paige Von Sprecken (2014, San Diego, Sydney Golden (2015, Cal State Fullerton) and Chloe Romero (2017, Texas) to get us thru the week.

Each girl was ready for battle each and every time they had an opportunity to step onto the field. And, even more importantly, we had each other’s backs. Day after each PGF day, we slowly worked our way to the top and kept our eye on the prize. There was no stopping us despite the long, hot days, and the ups and downs of each game. Amazingly, we went undefeated during all of bracket play and moved on the Championship Game day.

As our team likes to say, “We brought our guns and knives.” Here we were, Championship Game, and, sure, we were nervous, but it was the kind of nervous feeling that brings focus, excitement, and a will to survive as we went against our opponent, the Illinois Stars.

Having come this far, there was simply no way we were going to quit. Starting from the very first inning the team went out battling with a “we can do this” attitude. Our batters were aggressive, our infield was tight, our pitching was stellar, and the dugout was crazy (as it had been all week).

And so began the longest 7 innings ever.   And I mean, longest 7 innings ever.

Yet, we went out there, bats hot, armor on, pitch by pitch, inning by inning and we ultimately scored five runs while holding the Stars to zero. Our championship game pitcher, Paige, gave us some extra insurance, hitting a home run in the 3^rd inning making the game all that much more exciting and keeping our feelings of hope alive.

And although we had our game moments, in the end, we were relentless and strong together, with each and every player having a role and making an important contribution to the outcome of the game and the performance of the entire squad.

And so, we did it, we took home our first national title.  All with hard work, dedication to each other, and a feeling that is almost impossible to describe—one that is amazing,and that I will never forget.

But the thought I’d like to leave you with is that while it was amazing and something we will all never forget having won the title, it was also so much more than the title alone. It was each person working together for the good of one unit, it was the amazing coaches Ken Briggs, Tracy Townsend, and Danny Murakami, it was the amazing parents who support us, the teams that played, and the staff that made this tournament work – all playing a part in our experience.

And for all of those things, plus the title, I will always feel very blessed and I know my teammates feel the same way. And the bond that we will forever share is etched in history.   That’s something special!

If I can leave you with one final thought for this part of the story is that although I learned so many things this summer, the one the sticks out the most in my mind and I’d like to pass on to you all – is to “be a team”.   At any and all costs – when you step on the field to remember, you are a team… and be that! Attitude is everything!

Now at the beginning I had also mentioned that this National Championship blog really had two stories. For me personally, there is another side to all of this – one that carries a message that I hope will provide motivation for all who aspire to accomplish anything in life.

And one that has given even more meaning to me personally after winning this year’s title. A story that proves these things really do happen and I am living proof. It’s a story that includes two other chances at national titles where I wasn’t on the “winning” side of the game. And I want to share this in the hopes that it too will inspire you to keep doing what you love doing and never give up.   Here is my story.

It all began in June of 2012, when my twin sister (Ari) and I played for So Cal Athletics 14U coached by Gino Marinacci and Jim Ackerman. Similar story, not so similar ending. We played in PGF Nationals and going undefeated throughout the entire week, our squad made it to the championship game.

For this game, our opponent was the Atlanta Vipers, a very strong team, who had made their way all the way up from the loser’s bracket. It was a cat and mouse game, and the score was very close. In the end we fell to the Vipers, 3-2, and took second in the national championship.

The story gets better: The following year, my twin sister and I played on separate squads. I was playing for Mike Stith and Mark Campbell’s Team Mizuno 16U team, and Ari was playing for Mike Stith’s 18u Team Mizuno team.

My team did not fare well in PGF that week, but Ari’s team battled their way into the PGF 18U championship game. So here we go again, another title game on the line for a Jarvis.   But they also lost, just like Ari’s and my team did in the 14U title game a year before. Another year, back to back, of “runner-ups.”

Which is still an awesome accomplishment, yet for us, it was somewhat ironic, and honestly, disappointing. But here is my message to anyone who has ever felt like quitting. If you love something and are truly passionate about it, never give up. Yes, you will have failures and setbacks, lost games and lost titles – but work hard, keep working hard, and then work hard even more.

Work on everything” your skill, your mental game, on being a great teammate. If you lose a game, even a national championship game, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep going forward.

As my personal story is living proof that had either my sister or I ever thrown in the towel at 14’s or last year for that matter, we wouldn’t have been in the Championship Game ready to battle our hearts out, and won the title this year.  Often times people think you only have one shot for opportunities like this, but working hard and fighting gives you all the chances in the world.

And you can do it!

We did – finally walking away with a National Championship, a 1st place trophy, and an experience of a lifetime. You know what they say, third time’s the charm!

So my message to you is simply this: “Never settle” or give up if you truly love doing something you are doing. The hard work and effort alone will pay off for you and the rewards in the end are priceless!

Thank you all for listening and I hope this gives you the courage and motivation to keep going…

­— Andi Jarvis