It’s been a magical ride for Gwen Svekis, the outstanding senior catcher who helped lead St. Thomas Aquinas of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. to its second straight 7A state title.  If that didn’t make her week perfect, going through graduation probably did!

Gwen, who we rated as the No. 16 overall prospect in the Class of 2014, can now turn her attention to her next big adventure: going from the bottom right of the U.S. (Florida) to the top left (Oregon)!  That’s right, Gwen will head to the Northwest to begin her softball career and in this blog tells us what her thoughts are in going, literally, cross country…

Also, click here to see Gwen smash three home runs in one game!

Read one of the best athlete-written articles ever on our site, Gwen’s “5 Keys to Catching Success.”

 

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My poor parents.

Every time the subject of my college choice, The University of Oregon, comes up the line we most often hear is, “Wow, she couldn’t wait to get as far away from you guys as possible!”

Contrary to what most people think, though, I am going so far away from my South Florida home because my parents love me so much.

I know many people that have parents that won’t let them leave the state, no matter what the circumstances are. They can’t bear to let their kids go that far away. My parents, on the other hand, pushed me to follow my dreams, wherever they may lead me.

My parents have gone to the majority of the games I have ever played in, so the thought of going somewhere where they won’t be able to attend sometimes upsets me, but eventually, the bird has to leave the nest.

I figure that with the advances in technology nowadays, it’ll be easy to keep in touch with my parents and sister and they won’t seem so far away.

The thought of being a trailblazer intrigues me. I can’t wait to experience something completely new and to explore the world on my own. Yes, I will miss my friends and especially my family, but living cross-country will make coming home that much more valuable to me.

I also love making friends, so the thought of starting over and building a new support system also excites me.

A lot of things had to happen exactly as they did for me to be going to Oregon and, honestly, I wouldn’t want it any other way.

The first time I visited—the moment I stepped off the plane—I knew Oregon was going to be the destination for my collegiate years and that was before I met the incredible coaching staff and team.

It is easily the most beautiful place I have ever been to in my life. The first time I visited, I went to Multnomah Falls. The waterfall was breathtaking and definitely contributed to my love for the area. I love how green and alive it is!

When I met Coach Mike White, his assistant coaches and the team for the first time, it sealed the deal. I felt so welcomed immediately. The coaches are the best group of coaches in the country, in my opinion. I had never heard anything but great things about all of them, and the rumors were all true. They’re not only great people, but incredible coaches who understand the game and how to motivate their players.

When I heard that Blake Miller was going to be leaving to become the head coach of Virginia, I was sad because he was the initial coach that saw me play, but then I heard that Jimmy Kolaitis was to replace him and that sadness grew into excitement.

All of the great things (and the not so great things) that happened along the way didn’t seem to matter anymore because I knew then as I know now that will I have an opportunity to do something that not many people get the chance to do: make an impact.

I want all of the little girls just starting to play softball in South Florida to feel like they can go wherever they want to. I want them to know that it’s okay to follow your dreams, even if they seem impossible. Just keep working.

Finally, I think I should share my belief that you may not know what your dreams are until they’re right in front of your face. I didn’t—that’s for sure.

When I was a little girl, if people had told me I’d end up at Oregon I’d have told them they were crazy. I probably didn’t even know where Oregon was at that point.

Here’s what I’ve learned over time: never settle for anything.

As the saying goes: “Shoot for the moon, because even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” This statement could not be any truer.

Oregon wasn’t my dream school from the get-go, but now I could not imagine going to any other school. Oregon is everything I could have asked for and more.

I cannot wait live in such a beautiful place and start a journey—which I once thought would be impossible—that hopefully ends up with a National Title!