This year, two senior softball players, Jazmine Lewis and Ellie Ponce, recieved full athletic scholarships to play softball in the fall. Lewis will be attending Gulf Coast State College in Florida and Ponce will be going to Iowa Western College.
For Lewis, softball has been a part of her life for over a decade. She started playing baseball at the age of five before switching to softball when she was seven. She received athletic scholarship offers from Christian Brothers University, Southern Oregon University, Briar Cliff University and Kansas Wesleyan University, but ultimately decided to play for the Commodores.
“I love playing softball because not only is it a hobby to me, but a great passion,” Lewis said. “I was so thrilled and honored because I was finally able to make my dream become a reality.”
Ponce, who is a pitcher, began playing softball at Live Oak Park when she was seven years old. However, she did not know how much softball would provide for her in the future. Ponce recieved a full athletic scholarship and is thankful that she will have the opportunity to continue playing softball while furthering her education.
“I am happy, excited and relieved,” Ponce said. “My parents cannot afford to send me off to a good college so I knew that somehow I had to get my education paid for. I am very happy that I was given this opportunity.”
Lewis and Ponce began playing softball together at the age of ten and have been teammates ever since. The girls joined the softball team their freshman year and won the 2013 Rio Hondo League championship together.
“I made a lot of happy and great memories with my team for the past four years,” Ponce said. “I have known Jazmine since we were kids when we played together and I am really happy for her. It is awesome to see her go out of state to play softball.”
One challenge that many freshman collegiate athletes face is building team chemistry with their new teammates. However, both girls do not think that that will be an issue.
“When I went to visit the school, I loved how my future coaches and teammates made me feel welcome and at home,” Lewis said. “I felt like I belonged there.”