Makenna Segal is the only 2021 on her East Cobb Bullets 2020 club team in Georgia. That didn't stop her from having the highest batting average (.517) last fall while batting cleanup.



And to think that coaches used to tell her she wasn't made for the game, that she wasn't ever going to be a power hitter.

"When I was younger I was told by a lot of coaches that I didn't have the potential to be a good softball player and that I would never be a power hitter," Segal said. "I would never play in college because I just didn't have the talent. That really motivated me to work hard with my hitting instructor, Ed Schutte, and my fielding instructor, Sharon Perkins, to improve my game whether I'm at the plate or on the field."



Even though Segal is only in the eighth grade, her goal is to attend a top Division 1 program like Florida State or Michigan. She has a 4.0 GPA, loves to study math and Spanish, and hopes to work in the world of sport, whether management or marketing.

For now, Segal is focusing on continuing her softball and basketball career and proving herself as an athlete -- oh, she's also a diver.

"It's great to go to some of these tournaments and see some of those coaches that told me I would never be a great player and to see that they respect me now and they want me to play for their team," she said. "Having the coaches back up their players when I come up to the plate just shows how much they respect me. And it just feels really good that people do respect me and are afraid of me."

Segal attended the Faster2First Showcase in the fall and smacked two home runs. With 62 plate appearances during last year's travel season, she only struck out once. 

"I was pretty much raised playing softball, because that is how my parents met. It's in my blood I guess," Segal said.

Segal grew up in a very athletic and competitive family. Her mother, Cindi, played basketball and softball for Saginaw Valley State in Michigan and her father, Grant, was a collegiate diver at Florida State.

"One of my mom's friends asked her to play co-ed softball because they knew she had played in college," Segal said. "And the same thing happened with my dad. One of his friends asked him to come play. And they ended up meeting in the outfield because my dad was the centerfielder and my mom was the left fielder."

With such a strong support system and natural athletic ability, Segal isn't intimidated by being the only 2021 on the field.

"It just challenges me to be able to compete with other girls as most teams we play are older than I am," she said. "It challenges me and motivates me to work harder to show coaches that, even though I am younger, it doesn't mean the older girls are better than I am."

*****

Makenna Segal

Grad Year: 2021
Position: 3B/1B/OF
Bats/Throws: R/R
Club Team: East Cobb Bullets 2020 - Aycock
Hometown: Cumming, Georgia
Current School: Lakeside Middle School
High School: South Forsyth High School


You recently competed at Faster2First in Myrtle Beach. How was that experience?
It was so much fun to be a part of. Yes, it was a little cold but that was alright. I met a bunch of new girls and I got a lot of good feedback and playing the games was really fun. I hit two home runs.

Where are you in the recruiting process?
I haven't started the recruiting process yet. I have been attending a lot of college camps and I have been asked back to do some camps. I am currently writing emails to coaches.

Are there any schools you would love to play for?
I would really love to play for Florida State and Michigan because those programs are amazing to be around. I have attended both of those college camps and just the players and coaches and staff, they are so nice, and I really love their style of teaching.

What makes you different from other players?
I guess the fact that, since I am the youngest and I am playing with older girls, I am very determined to work hard. I am very competitive but I am also very fun to be around.

What is your family like?
My family is very athletic whether it's from my mom's side playing basketball and softball in college. Or my dad's side. He was a collegiate diver at Florida State. Or even my little brother who plays tennis and golf. We are a very competitive family whether it's family game night or a football game.



What does softball mean to you?
To me, it's more than a sport. It's a great opportunity to be able to learn some great life lessons that I can use. I get to meet new people and it teaches me so much about how, if you work hard, you can accomplish whatever you want.

You play softball and basketball and you are a diver. Will you be doing all three going into high school?
I definitely will be trying to play softball and basketball in high school. Probably not as much diving as it's just my offseason sport and I do it just to be around my friends.



Do you have any softball superstitions or rituals? 
Before every game, when I tie my shoes, I tuck in my laces because one time during a fielding lesson I got my lace stuck in my spike and tripped and knocked the wind out of myself.

How would your teammates describe you?
My teammates would describe me as talkative, loud, but also competitive. I guess I'm kind of their "flashback" because they always ask me what I'm doing in 8th grade and I remind them of what they did last year.

Do you have a favorite club tournament?
I like all the tournaments because I like the opportunity to get out to play with my teammates and meet new people.

What has been your favorite place to travel to?
Probably California, we went there last year. On one of our off days I learned how to surf and that was really fun.

Were you pretty good at?
I was pretty good, yeah, after a couple falls.

What are you ultimate dreams and goals?
My ultimate dreams would be to definitely play college softball at a D1 school. And now that softball is back in the Olympics I would really love to be an Olympian and hope to maybe one day play in the NPF.

Who are some of your favorite softball players?
I really love Sierra Romero and Sydney Romero, and I really love Isabella Picard and Kelly Kretschman.

What has been your biggest accomplishment in softball?
All the people that I've proven wrong. Through my training or whether it's in travel ball or middle school ball having the coaches back up their players when I come up to the plate just shows how much they respect me. And it just feels really good that people do respect me and are afraid of me.

What do you like to do outside of softball?
I love to hang out with my friends. I love shopping, mainly for softball stuff, and I love going to the movies with my friends and I love listening to music. 

What are some of your favorite movies?
Benchwarmers. A League of their Own. And I love the Divergent Series.

What is your favorite kind of music?
I like all genres of music but pop and country are the main ones I listen to.

Do you like to read?
I love to read -- mainly the Divergent series or Hunger Games.

What is your favorite type of food?
I like all food but I really love Chinese food and I love chocolate. 

Milk chocolate or dark chocolate?
Either one!

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