Coming into a last-place university women’s fastball program with a nickname of an extinct species – The Mastodons – might not be the most inviting introduction to a new recruit. But for incoming freshman infielder Lauren Watson of Burnaby it’s an opportunity too good to pass up.
The 18-year-old Burnaby Mountain Secondary grad earned both an academic and athletic scholarship to NCAA Division I Indiana-Purdue University – Fort Wayne.
The academic part should be easy for the 3.85 grade point average honour roll student. Turning around a softball team that won just three games all last season, while competing in the Summit League conference, may not be as simple.
Last year, the entire senior class followed the departed women’s head coach to another school, leaving a young team, including just five juniors, to struggle after being ranked among the top 50 in the nation the season before.
“I think it’s a really good opportunity to find a starting position as a freshman. We’re definitely in the middle of a rebuilding program. Hopefully, by the time I’m a senior, it will be a lot better,” Watson said.
Watson heard about the team’s need of an infielder from her college recruiter in California.
She contacted the school and earned an invitation to a player’s camp, where she impressed enough, batting three for three to earn a spot on next season’s team.
“I focused on myself. I figured they wouldn’t have invited me all the way to Indiana if I wouldn’t be a good fit for the team,” Watson said.
The 5-2 second base has a heap of experience on how to win, too.
She has been to every national fastpitch championship since she was 14 years old, including a best-ever runner-up as a first year under-18 with the Delta Heat last season.
But that’s not all.
The multi-dimensional athlete has championship experience in both club volleyball and ringette as well. She has been to a Canadian championship with both Air Attack and the Coquitlam Ducks as a setter and libero.
In 2013, Watson also played centre and forward, scoring two goals in Team B.C.’s 8-4 historic win over Alberta in Fredericton, N.B. – a first for a West Coast provincial team at the ringette nationals.
But stepping up to Div. 1 will be a whole new level of experience.
The Fort Wayne school will visit neighbouring Big 10 schools Purdue and Indiana, as well as meeting powerhouse programs Texas and Oklahoma on its non-conference schedule next season.
“Softball teaches you how to deal with failure,” Watson said. “Half the time you strike out at the plate. You have to keep a positive attitude. Over the years, you just keep dealing with it.”
Watson remembers a moment at her first nationals vividly. The play was in extra innings and the team was a game away from an appearance in the u-14 finals.
“The ball came to me and I completely messed up. But after that time, I was better dealing with the pressure,” she said.
Time makes everyone a better learner and Watson is no exception.
“Especially in the field, I want the ball to come to me, and when at bat, I want to have the opportunity to be the one who hits the winning run,” Watson added.
This weekend, Watson will get that chance again, when the Heat take on the best in the future’s division at the Canadian Open fastpitch international championships at Softball City, beginning today.
And even though Watson admits she has never belted one out of the park in her ball career to date, the right-hand-throwing fielder is no easy out at the plate.
When she was 10, a coach suggested the speedy runner bat left handed to increase her chances of getting on base.
To this day, Watson continues to take that coach’s advice to the bank.
Watson is currently hitting a crisp .500 in nearly 50 games with the Heat this season.
Batting either No. 1 or 2 in the lineup, she has an equally good on-base percentage.
“Coaches are looking for players who are power hitters, but every team needs a fast player – a lefty, slapper hitter,” she said. “I’m a pretty happy swinger. I just want to hit.”
