That self-drive and high expectation for herself, combined with fierce competitiveness and work ethic, is why Casey had one of the most prolific high school and club careers in recent memory.  Casey was the MaxPreps National Player of the Year in 2013 after leading her Lake City, Idaho team to a second straight Class 5A state title.  The 5-foot-10 lefty pitcher went 28-0, but wasn’t just a threat in the circle—she also hit .640 and had 16 homers—and had a great summer playing for Explosion.

For more background info, here’s a link to a story we earlier in the summer titled Player spotlight: Casey has a plan

In today’s blog, she looks back on how the Mizzou team did bonding activities to create team chemistry and “come together… now it will be about keeping it together.”

 

***

Henry Ford once said:

“Coming together is a beginning.  Keeping together is progress.  Working together is success.”

That is something so true in athletics—you can have a goal and work hard to get there but if you do not have a strong team bond, you will go nowhere. Team success comes from team sacrifices and having each other’s backs when it comes down to it.

For our beginning of the fall at Mizzou, we really came together on our team bonding trip to Kansas City. We had numerous activities and challenges that made us step out of our comfort zone, and really learn and think together.

Whether it be doing an “Amazing Race” throughout Kansas City, a cooking challenge, touring the Royals’ stadium, Mizzou softball “Family Feud,” late night talks out in the woods or even just sitting together at the hotel, we found out a lot about our teammates and how we can all work together and communicate with each other best.

That was coming together and for the rest of the year it is all about keeping and working together.  I think we had a great experience of those two things last Friday in our very first fall games together. We played Columbia College and Heartland College and won both of our opening games.

It was such an amazing feeling to be able to represent my university on the field for the very first time. Beyond that, the feeling of being on the field with my teammates— who I have grown so close to—was like nothing else.

College softball is a very special thing, because you are surrounded by the best players in the country and you are all completely in love with the game giving it all you’ve got every single inning.

The rush of passion for the game and excitement to play was way too much to even feel nervous and I let those feelings consume me.

Friday is our second double header of the Fall and I cannot wait to go out there with my team and enjoy doing what we love.

—Casey