Taylor McQuillin, the talented pitcher ranked as the No. 5 rated prospect in the 2015 class, has her Mission Viejo High team undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the nation in our latest FAB 50 rankings.

The Southern California standout has committed to the Univ. of Arizona and plays for one of the premier club teams in the nation, the OC Batbusters-Haning.  She is also a standout student with a 4.2 GPA at Mission Viejo (Calif.) High School where she earned 1^st team All-Orange County honors in 2013.

Perhaps Taylor’s greatest accomplishment is she has done all this despite having to overcome birth defects making her completely blind in the left eye and with only partial hearing on the left side.

Here, in her latest blog for Student Sports Softball, Taylor explains her thoughts on handling these big games and high-pressure situations.

Be sure to check out Taylor’s previous blogs and those of our other standout bloggers!

 *****

Our high-school team has recently played in two really big tournaments over the past three weekends – the Tournament of Champions in Bullhead City, Ariz. and the Best of the West in Garden Grove, Calif. – against some of the best competition around.

We were excited about how well we did and all of the accomplishments that we have achieved, but we still know that the season is far from over.

With two big championship games wins, we are even more motivated now than ever before. The competition we have faced is extremely high and for some people the high level of competition can put on a lot of pressure.

How you handle the pressure is what is so important.

For our team, handling pressure means relaxing and taking everything in with clear eyes. It’s about going out there and playing the game that you know how to play and just breathing, being under control and playing within your abilities.

Every second of the game you have to be focused, whether it is mentally or physically. If not, you open yourself to making an error, which can be the difference between winning and losing.

The big game focus raises the level in which the two teams will compete because the game becomes that much more challenging when both teams play to their full potentials.

In situations like championship games, or even games in tournaments that you need to win to move on to get to the championship game, the pressure will continue to rise. The key is staying calm in these situations; it is important to remind yourself that you are capable of playing in them with your team and playing to the level you know you can achieve because you’ve practiced for this and have had success like this.

It’s reminding yourself, “You guys didn’t get there by luck; you got there because of your work ethic and athleticism.”

When I am playing in major games with my team, whether it is high school or travel ball, I remind myself that my team is behind me defending me and playing their hardest for me and the rest of the team. It keeps me calm and motivates me to play for them.

No matter what the circumstances, be relaxed and play your game. That way, the only thing that can beat you in the end is yourself.

— Taylor McQuillin