SEATTLE – "We've built a team chemistry that we all know that we can go to each other for anything if you need someone to listen to or if you need advice. I know that everyone has my back and they all care about me and I know that they feel the same."
For Jocelynn De La Cruz, softball isn't just a sport, it's an outlet for her to push herself to her limit and form valuable relationships with her teammates. Through Seattle University Athletics, De La Cruz has been able to meet people that share her love for the game, which has helped her grow and develop as a student and as an athlete. "It has connected me to so many awesome people that I never would have met without it, and I owe a lot to softball for the person I've become," De La Cruz explained.
De La Cruz has been playing softball since she was six years old, and the sport has been a large part of her for the majority of her life. Looking to the sport as her main outlet and a way to connect with others, her daily life took a large turn when she became injured.
Overcoming adversity, De La Cruz noted that although it was difficult not being able to play, there were lots of valuable lessons learned from the experience. "It taught me how to persevere. Especially this last year, not having softball as an outlet was a big challenge," she explained. One of the hardest parts was not being able to play alongside her teammates.
"Softball has been my outlet for the longest, and no matter what I've been going through whenever I'm on the field I'm just focused on that at that moment."
One thing that stands out about Seattle University Athletics is the community, both with teammates and Seattle as a whole."It has taught me a lot of lessons that are going to help me in my professional career." The tight-knit community that Seattle University fosters allows coaches to build strong connections with their players, and give them advice that helps them in many areas of life. This is one thing De La Cruz admires most about playing softball at Seattle U.
"It's not always about you, you're always serving a bigger purpose. It helps me to take a step back for myself, but also to realize I'm working for something else makes it easier. And you get to be here. And on days when you're tired or aren't feeling too well, there are so many people who would love to be in your shoes and take it in a heartbeat. So I think that's something that keeps me going because I'm really blessed to be in the position that I'm in."
Balancing life and school outside of softball is also something De La Cruz has learned to do throughout her time at Seattle University. She noted that she has an easier time managing her schedule when softball is the main aspect of her time and keeps a list of tasks like schoolwork and reaching out to her family.
Outside of softball, De La Cruz enjoys writing poetry, painting, and reading, as well as exploring spots in Seattle like Alki Beach. She and the team have also made an effort to give back to their community through volunteer work at Saint Francis House and through inspiring the new generation of softball players.
"We really love when the younger generation of softball players comes to watch us, we love to inspire them and welcome them with open arms and show them that they can get to this level."
Jocelynn De La Cruz's story highlights the impact that softball can have beyond the field. For her, softball has been a way to connect with others, develop valuable life skills, and persevere through challenges. Her experience at Seattle University has shown her the power of community and the importance of working towards a bigger purpose.
For Jocelynn De La Cruz, softball isn't just a sport, it's an outlet for her to push herself to her limit and form valuable relationships with her teammates. Through Seattle University Athletics, De La Cruz has been able to meet people that share her love for the game, which has helped her grow and develop as a student and as an athlete. "It has connected me to so many awesome people that I never would have met without it, and I owe a lot to softball for the person I've become," De La Cruz explained.
De La Cruz has been playing softball since she was six years old, and the sport has been a large part of her for the majority of her life. Looking to the sport as her main outlet and a way to connect with others, her daily life took a large turn when she became injured.
Overcoming adversity, De La Cruz noted that although it was difficult not being able to play, there were lots of valuable lessons learned from the experience. "It taught me how to persevere. Especially this last year, not having softball as an outlet was a big challenge," she explained. One of the hardest parts was not being able to play alongside her teammates.
"Softball has been my outlet for the longest, and no matter what I've been going through whenever I'm on the field I'm just focused on that at that moment."
One thing that stands out about Seattle University Athletics is the community, both with teammates and Seattle as a whole."It has taught me a lot of lessons that are going to help me in my professional career." The tight-knit community that Seattle University fosters allows coaches to build strong connections with their players, and give them advice that helps them in many areas of life. This is one thing De La Cruz admires most about playing softball at Seattle U.
"It's not always about you, you're always serving a bigger purpose. It helps me to take a step back for myself, but also to realize I'm working for something else makes it easier. And you get to be here. And on days when you're tired or aren't feeling too well, there are so many people who would love to be in your shoes and take it in a heartbeat. So I think that's something that keeps me going because I'm really blessed to be in the position that I'm in."
Balancing life and school outside of softball is also something De La Cruz has learned to do throughout her time at Seattle University. She noted that she has an easier time managing her schedule when softball is the main aspect of her time and keeps a list of tasks like schoolwork and reaching out to her family.
Outside of softball, De La Cruz enjoys writing poetry, painting, and reading, as well as exploring spots in Seattle like Alki Beach. She and the team have also made an effort to give back to their community through volunteer work at Saint Francis House and through inspiring the new generation of softball players.
"We really love when the younger generation of softball players comes to watch us, we love to inspire them and welcome them with open arms and show them that they can get to this level."
Jocelynn De La Cruz's story highlights the impact that softball can have beyond the field. For her, softball has been a way to connect with others, develop valuable life skills, and persevere through challenges. Her experience at Seattle University has shown her the power of community and the importance of working towards a bigger purpose.