Special to The Catholic Voice

Nicole Sanders of Holy Names High School has received a scholarship from South Carolina State University and will be playing softball there beginning Aug. 1.

She officially signed her letter of intent at the Holy Names High School awards assembly on May 8. Nicole, a scholar athlete and four-year letterman in softball, says that softball has helped her to become a focused leader.

"Playing for SCSU will be the pinnacle of my softball career," she said. "Everything I have trained and practiced for will lead to the next four years of softball."

Holy Names Athletic Director Sarah LeMier interviewed the student-athlete:

Q. What inspired you to take up softball?

A. My dad said I need to go outside and get exercise. My mom wanted me to take dance. Dad said that dance is not a sport, so he took my sister and me to play softball instead. I played for the Oakland Girls Softball League for three years, and currently I am an umpire for the league.

Q. When did you decide you wanted to be a collegiate athlete?

A. In my freshman year, Coach Kennedy asked me to write my goals for softball. After watching college softball on TV that weekend, I had decided to play at the college level, so I wrote my essay based on that. Those college players were very professional and confident in their skills.

Q. What was the process for getting asked to play for a Division 1 NCAA team?

A. Since I was playing summer travel ball, it was important to play in tournaments that are showcase events; these have college coaches on hand. My coach would send an e-mail to the college coaches, inviting them to come out and see me play. NCAA has very strict rules in place to outline how you and the coach can communicate and when you can do this. After a coach has an interest, you can pass along your skills video. If the coach is interested further, they will come see you or ask for you to come visit the school. It is a long process.

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