Meet the Team: 12U Softball Aggies Team Spotlight

by | Jul 12, 2017 | Jr. RBI Summer League, Player of the Week, Softball

Meet the Team: 12U Softball Aggies

Player: Samantha

  • TEAM: 12U Softball Aggies
  • TIME with RBI: First season
  • SCHOOL: Wayside Elementary
  • CAREER DREAMS: What do you want to be when you grow up? A softball player. I’d play centerfield.
  • TEAMMATES: Who’s your best friend on the team? Brittany. She’s my best friend because she’s nice.
  • FAVORITE POSITION: Outfield. It’s my favorite because that’s where most of the balls go.
  • BEST ADVICE: What is something that you’ve learned from your coach? When I get out, I shouldn’t cry because there is still a lot more softball to go.

Parent: Tommy

  • RBI KIDS: Two daughters, Samantha and Hayley.
  • TIME with RBI: This is actually our first season with RBI. I coached for 4-5 years and this is the first year I’ve been more of a parent than a coach.
  • PROGRAM VALUE: What do you think Samantha and Hayley gain the most from being involved with RBI? They’ve learned and developed a lot. They still take the game a little too seriously, so I have to remind them to have fun and go out there and be a kid. They need to remember to mentally and physically rest. So RBI has really given them a chance to have fun.
  • PROUD PARENT: When is a time when you were most proud of your daughters? Just academics in general. They’re A and B students. They work hard on the field and they’re good at transitioning that into the classroom. They’re quick to do their homework as soon as they get home because they know they have to make good grades to play. Their teachers all tell me that they’re leaders in the classroom so I’m really proud of that.
  • BEING A SOFTBALL PARENT: What is the hardest part about being a softball parent? The hardest part is when they lose because you have to help pick the girls up. They try so hard and sometimes they get down on themselves. I remind them that even when they leave it all on the field, they’re not always going to win. They’re still learning, so I have to tell them that and remind them that winning isn’t everything.

Coach: Kyle

  • TIME with RBI: This is my first season with RBI.
  • BACKGROUND: Did you play sports growing up?I played baseball, football, track, and basketball. I’ve always had the best coaches and I felt called to coaching. So far I’ve coached junior high sports, and when I heard about RBI through the Austin Stone I was eager to get involved.
  • FAVORITE RBI MEMORY: Do you have a favorite RBI memory so far? Last week we played against the Bears, and I’m pretty sure they were the #1 seed. We took them out with only 6 players. Our girls worked really hard for it and it was a huge jump from the 2nd week to the 3rd week.
  • PARENTS and PLAYERS: What do you think families and players gain the most from being involved with RBI? I’d say they can come here knowing that we love their child more than we love winning the game. When we show up, we’re here to make sure their child gets better physically, spiritually, and mentally and that’s more important than winning.
  • PROGRAM VALUE: What do you think you gain from being involved with RBI?I’ve gained so much. I’ve learned how to communicate with kids and how to be patient. I’ve never been great with words, but when you coach girls, you learn you have to affirm them and tell them good job. I’m learning to be more gentle and tactful in the way that I coach.