Julia Eunis '22 Recruiting Profile

My name is Julia Eunis. Long before starting softball, I was a gymnast. I started when I was only 6 months with "Mommy and Me", however became a national gymnast at 6 years old. After 5 years of 18 hours per week in the gym with only 2 weeks off per year, I decided to retire at the age of 11. My career led to many National meets where I held 1st and 2nd place on the podium.  Chicago Style is the worlds largest USAG meet where I held a 1st place title.  I was also a Beam State Champion 2 years in a row. As the injuries started to become more real and the time more cumbersome, I chose to move forward and try something new.  I started softball that coming season. With no previous experience in this sport, recreational ball with East Greenwich Little League made the most sense. I played shortstop for one year with little league, only to see that change the next season by my new coaches in Middle School. During middle school tryouts I was one of four girls who made the team as a 6th grader. My coaches were coaches for Bombers Elite, and they immediately changed me from in an infielder to an outfielder because of my speed and agility. The coaches asked how I was so fast with no experience.  I explained that as a gymnast, I was so little that the vault spring board never moved to give me the lift I needed to get over the vault.  That being said, I needed my speed to propel me over so as not to crash.  An 80 foot runway was all I had! Having no idea how to play outfield, I quickly learned by our first game, but my bat not so much. I could bunt very well and was on 1st base most of the time, unless I had to swing. I had no power in my swing and had very poor form that was hard to fix. The season ended for school and that summer I received a call from my school coaches asking me if I wanted to be on their travel team. I quickly accepted and that's when everything had changed for the better. During the winter season I learned how to play center field the correctly and used my speed to my advantage but what was really life changing was during that winter they had changed the way I swing. Instead of just bunting my coach decided to switch me to a lefty and start to slap. As a retired gymnast I learned to pick up new skills and perfect them rapidly Although it was very frustrating, it was all worth it by the spring time. About 2 months later we had our first official tournament and I had my first successful slap. My on base average had increased significantly during that season. After about 1 year of improving with slapping, my coach had decided to take it to another level. I learned the different slaps and to read the field.  Learning to know when to do each one of them proved to be super successful. I went to many clinics to improve my skills as a slapper to be better for both myself and my team. Learning how to slap was very difficult but I am glad that my coaches believed in me to do such a tough skill, and I took on the challenge very eagerly. Slapping also increased my urge to start to regular hit again so I asked my coaches to teach me how to do so, however on the left side. Soon I was hitting off of both fast and slow pitchers in games which added another skill in my back pocket. I have earned a spot as the lead off hitter for my team with a .451 batting average, 38 stolen bases and 29 earned runs for this season. I have now switched travel teams. This year I am on the 14u Nation team fro Rhode Island Thunder. I am being trained under the coaches David Lotti and Elise Fordier. As an athlete I am always excepting new challenges to perfect, and that will enhance my performance level. Softball has taught me and continues to teach me how to be a better leader, sportsman, teammate, and overall improving athlete who is always ready to rise higher. I am a very observant player who always tries to keep her team positive and excited to play the game they all love. My goal is to play the sport I love for as long as possible and to learn new things that make me the best person and player I can be.