Sophia Parpala '19 Recruiting Profile

Being a competitive soccer player and recreational softball player made me the softball player I am today.  I learned through soccer that playing sports for me is about competing, teamwork and playing my role on any team to the best of my ability.  It was when I was 12 that I decided to commit to becoming a competitive pitcher.  I dedicated 8 months with my pitching coach to get me “game ready”.  For my summer club season, I faced the challenge of joining a team that had 3 experienced pitchers, all 2 years older than me.  I knew I needed to get game innings, so I found a club that was looking for a pitcher to become their starting pitcher.   I joined the team and worked to become the starting pitcher in my first season of 14U softball.  This is one of the moments that helped me decide that softball was my passion. 

I was fortunate enough to play on an 18U club softball team at 15 years old and winning our first tournament was a highlight of my season.  However,  I feel that I grew the most as an athlete by playing with the older athletes on this team.  I learned by playing, watching, practicing and experiencing, not only their skill, but their leadership.  I took these lessons into my freshman year in high school for my academics and my softball season.  My goal is to find a college that is a good fit athletically and academically.  I feel my work ethic, character and ability are the skills I possess to compete on a college team.