Host Wes Chandler is kickin’ it with EKU softball student-athletes Lauren Narvaez, Maddi Rutan, Sharyn Duncan, and Jaelin Haynes.
what’s up everybody Welcome in to
another edition of the kicking it with
the colonels podcast my name is Wes
Chandler so glad that you could join us
here today and today we are kicking it
with members of the first place EKU
softball team we have Lauren nvz Matty
routen Sharon Duncan and Jaylen Haynes
with us here today ladies thanks so much
for joining us thank you for having us
appreciate it how does first place sound
when you when we say first place it’s
going to be a little B bit of a badge of
honor oh no yeah for sure it feels
awesome I mean we’ve definitely put in
the work in the off season and even up
to this point so I feel we’ve definitely
earned it now that the season is going
by in my opinion super quick as players
do you all feel that same kind of the
Season just going by really quick yeah
for sure yeah like I remember like the
first game and like we’re already here
yeah it just goes by so quick you you
play so many games but then you don’t
realize that
by by the time you get series over with
it’s you know those are three more games
off the the books
yeah one thing I’ve noticed about
watching this team is you all seem to
have fun out here on this beautiful
field when you’re on the road as well it
seems like you all just enjoy being
around each other enjoying being in each
other’s company is that what it is yeah
for sure um one of the main things that
coach allows us to do is to kind of show
our person personality on and off the
field that’s something that she’s been
reprend for like weeks now and it really
wasn’t until I would say maybe like
conference play that we really started
to play into our own personalities and
clearly with by the record it it’s
showing sure you all agree with that
yeah
yeah there’s a difference between in my
opinion you all can can speak on this
too between teams that come to a
ballpark and hope to win versus is teams
that come to a ballpark and expect to
win I feel like you all are in the
ladder right all right take me through
take me through
that um I just feel like we we always
expect to win especially with all of our
talent that we have on this team and be
able to show our personalities on and
off the field I think we have so much
talent and be able to come out here and
just have fun when playing the sport
that we love I think you know we do a
good job of combining both of those and
you know playing free and that’s you
know that’s what helps us win all these
games and just being confident our
talent yeah what sets this team apart
and I want to get each of y’all’s
thoughts on this what sets this team
apart from others you’ve been on maybe
at the high school middle school level
versus or either teams that there’s a
lot of good programs at at the D1 level
you all know that what do you think sets
this team apart from either ones that
you’ve been on or other good division
one programs I think for me personally
it’s won the talent I mean we’ve only
lost games this season yeah so I mean
just and also another thing is just
trusting each other I mean we have
multiple people at many different
positions and I think all of us know
that no matter who goes out there
they’re going to get the job done so
just being able to have each other’s
backs and know that they’re going to get
the job done is is really important and
I think it’s been really great to see
yeah I agree um being able to trust one
another and so having confidence in
whoever’s in whatever position and just
being able to play um together and you
know like I said trust everybody else I
think that’s the biggest part for me as
well yeah trust is a really big thing I
also think like we have such like a
judgment free team like I’ll be in The
Dugout like cheering like with whatever
be what and just everybody just goes
with it and we just like build off each
other’s energies and everything yeah
everything that they said and I feel
like everybody plays their role you feel
saying so it’s like your role changes so
much throughout the season everybody
just steps into whatever role they’re
given and they they execute so I feel
like that’s a big part of how much we
win stuff and what about the people that
not is not necessarily in the lineup I
feel like the people that are not
everyday players but sometimes get their
names called they’re ready too and they
buy into that role and they’re not
pouting about their playing time and
that makes a really good team too that’s
a good example of Sharon Sharon I don’t
know how she’s clut bro I don’t know how
she does it but like no Sharon is a
great example of that like great example
and we saw it just last weekend yeah
down by one she gets that lead off
triple
unbelievable and now
so we were joking earlier about just how
quick the season has gone but at the
same time it is a long season how do
you stay ready for for times like now
cuz you hear about and like in Major
League Seasons like the dog days like a
couple months before the the postseason
begins I guess these are typically the
dog days because you have a little bit
of time left not much you’ve got some
games left you’ve played a lot of games
but to get to where you want to be you
got to take care of your own business
too how do you all manage
that um I don’t know first I just like
to try to keep my mind right and try to
just always you know be as confident as
I can and not be in my head about stuff
and if I need to fix my craft I’ll you
know take the extra time to do that and
also just going to get treatment
whenever I feel like I need to and
keeping my body in the right shape and
just staying
confident I mean we’ve been playing this
game since we’re like five six seven
years old it’s just the same game yes
it’s going to go by a little bit faster
and faster but we just got to remember
all the hard work we put in from since
we were five six seven years old to
where we are now and yeah
what do you all think from each one of
you all what do you think is going to be
the biggest thing to keep this
impressive season
going I think being mentally tough
because you know like when we start out
it’s just you know everybody put in the
hard work and like you know getting the
Reps in and stuff off the field so get
on the field we’re doing good but I
think like around this point there’s so
much like film on you and stuff you’re
failing and like tring to handle that
failure and be mentally strong to like
bounce back I think that’s what’s going
to get us through for real MH yeah I
think the mental game is obviously just
as important as a physical game so
really what what we’ve been doing is um
coach has provided us with like
different kind of books you know on like
how to build a stronger mentality and I
think stuff like that and also um going
into like off days taking time for
yourself building up a different like
self-care day I feel like those
definitely help for the for the long run
now softball players sometimes can be
superstitious yall have any crazy
superstitions um yeah I do I have to
listen to uh many men by 50 Cent every
single every single game
day is it on Loop or is it just it’s
just the first song that I have to play
like when I wake up that’s the first
song that’s got to
play uh yeah I have to drink a va8
before every game and
then I don’t know I got certain songs I
listen to I listen to a few country and
a few rap and then that’s pretty much it
I mean I don’t know about home games but
definitely on away games like every bus
ride to the field i’ be listening to um
get ugly by Jason dero okay so that’s uh
at least that one song and then I’ll
have like a lineup of songs and that’s
for set the weekend and then the next
weekend it still get ugly by Jason dero
but I songs yes yes uh mine I got to
listen to some cpel and then when I get
on the field I can’t do too much you
feel me like no stretching no running
like I just got to everything is real
slow and like yeah I’m not doing too
much when we break out this wheel at the
end I’m really hoping for some karaoke
now what’s a typical game day like for
you because not a lot of people know
that you all aren’t just getting here an
hour and a half before and and taking
infield you all got cage work to do you
got bull pins to throw what does and
Maddie I’m really curious to see what
your game day is like is it 50-50
pitching and hitting but what is is a
typical game day like for you and kind
of the timeline of how everything shapes
up for you all on game day yeah first I
have to go get treatment like couple
hours early before and then we all start
um you we watch film before our games
and stuff and then we go um break out
into hitting and I’ll hit a little bit
and if I’m starting coach Molly will
tell me and then after I’m done um going
through hitting I’ll come out here with
whoever’s catching and um just warm up
do some bands do some stretches and then
go from
there what’s it look like for the rest
of yall well I’m a PO so there’s no
hitting for me um I’ll just sit there in
the corner look nice cheer on my
teammates while they’re hit you had a
few at bats your first couple of years
yeah hang up the helmet had to brang
that up um and then trop my way down to
the bullpen that’s really my home and
then I’ll just wait 30 minutes till game
time and then I’ll start warming up so
before you two answer on the on the end
there when you’re not starting a game
are you always in that mindset that I
have to be ready in case my number is
called absolutely do you all go to the
bullpen every every what’s that like so
usually coach will tell the starter
who’s starting and then um coach Molly
our assistant coach she’ll tell I think
maybe two other pitchers that were got
to be ready to go so every other ending
were in the bullpen just locked in but
this girl um haven’t really need to do
that that much this
season all right there’s the pitching
side now what about hitters okay so get
there at
10:30 way too early way too
early different story for a different
day but yeah and then 11:20 we got film
watch every single picture no matter if
there’s only three pitchers six pitchers
got to sit through all that and then
stretch 20 minutes before we hit hit I
have some hitting drills I do and then
the hitting partner is Reese knocks we
hit on the te then we do front toss a
couple times and then tea again and then
bunts get out here I would throw with
Maddie but she’s pitching most of the
time so I throw with Emily then we take
lines um booty bump Jay and then clap
all the way down get ready uh get hyped
and just be there cheer play and just
get a dub hey that’s worked worked lucky
the same thing you know except when
they’re stretching I’m lowkey just you
know I’m not really sure just doing the
you feel me and then uh I get back in
here when we hit I just did my one hands
off the te then I hit for off the te do
the wooden bat I can only do five reps
each round I can’t do more than five
okay I don’t do too much you feel me I
do too much and then yeah come out here
throw I don’t throw too much you know
what I’m saying not too much and then is
it five or is it it’s just a little bit
it’s over a little bit over five but not
10 you feel what I’m saying I got you
and then we get in here Get Hype with
some games and call it that day mhm then
go home do it all over again yeah
absolutely now I’m not telling you all
anything you don’t know you’re playing
for a legend in Jane Worthington in the
coaching ranks what’s it like in your
opinion to play for her my God it’s it’s
so it’s such an honor and it’s such a
blessing really I mean she really lets
us express ourselves and be who we are
she’s never once told us or scolded at
us hey you can’t be who you are you know
she’s very open about being true to
yourself and being who you are on the
field
yeah Lo said it so perfectly and you
know I love Jane um she’s been
SC oh sorry she’s been are you gonna get
in trouble for that
no no she’s been scouting me for quite a
while and just um her coming to my games
and stuff like that and you know just
counting or not counting on me but like
believing in me that’s the word
believing in me to you know allow me to
hit and Pitch giving me that opportunity
I just can’t than enough for you know
giving me this opportunity and it’s a
blessing to play from her getting to
play for Coach I mean I feel like again
it’s judgment free she tells us to give
us um our imperfect best so don’t have
to be perfect but give what you have to
give all the time all your effort that
you can in that moment and her saying
that it makes me feel comfortable to be
on this diamond and playing for her yeah
I think she’s probably one of the
coolest coaches I ever had you know she
chill like she’s cool cracking jokes and
stuff but I feel like coach you know
she’ll tell you like what you can do and
then like it’s like you didn’t even know
you could do that you feel me so she
really believes in you more than you
really believe in yourself you know so I
think that’s like I like having her as a
coach in that way too for sure and do
you all know that she’s on the verge of
a milestone here soon right okay are we
planning anything don’t give it away but
are we planning something I don’t know
yeah I don’t know either I don’t know
all right we we’ll see who who can do
the the best coach
impression right
there well you got to give it to us now
man I don’t even know what to like what
like what’s the scenario I need a
scenario are we on offense def what’s
what’s the best one to be they can say
you just had a bad cut I say I just had
like a bad swing okay we’re swinging you
swung at one in the dirt you’re down 02
now you got to settle in you know your
swing just sucks like but you got it you
got it you just swing just swing the bat
know what you’re doing
okay back you know but you can’t forget
the hair because the
hair especially in the wind it’s just
going everywhere crazy yeah that is
fantastic you are not getting that on
any other podcast I continue that well
we are kicking it today with EKU
softball we got Lauren narv Jaylen
Haynes Matty Routan Sharon Duncan here
with us today I got a question couple of
questions for each one of you all
personally so I want to start with
Lauren you’re the the mom of this group
you’ve been here the longest this is
your third year now at EKU do you find
yourself as kind of the veteran of the
pitching staff working with girls like
Maddie and and some of the younger girls
to be able to kind of I guess Pay It
Forward almost in a way yeah yeah no
yeah definitely um coming in my freshman
year I had a wonderful fifth year class
of pictures and they I’ve definitely
taken a lot of stuff that they’ve
instilled in me and I’ve tried to pass
it on to them
and hopefully I’ve done a good job I
hope so but yeah I definitely feel that
role but I definitely I take it with
pride and I and I definitely try my best
every day and your older sister played
at cop and state as well yes she did how
much has she impacted your softball
career I mean she’s a reason why I
actually like I played I mean I I grew
up going to her games every weekend and
I just really wanted to be just like her
I mean she’s like my best friend and
then when I saw that she got a
scholarship it really put into
perspective that like man I could do
that too right yeah so she’s definitely
probably one of my biggest Inspirations
incredible Maddie did you think you
would have this much success in your
first year uh no I really I really
didn’t expect it at all you know I’m
just blessed to be here
honestly and you touched about on it a
little bit earlier you committed back to
EK in 21 I believe yeah I was so you
were what 15 14 15 I think it was 15
almost 16 what what made you decide that
EKU like I’m I don’t know what I’m doing
at
33 15 what made for dinner what made you
decide that EKU was the right place for
you at as as a 15-year-old yeah actually
it was the schooling I took a visit here
for schooling and I fell in love with
the criminal justice program and one of
the coaches I um they used to coach me
uh him and her or his daughter um
actually said hey you should try EK camp
out I think you’d really like it the
coach is awesome and I think it would
fit you good and ever since then I’ve
fell in love with EKU and the coaching
staff here and you know the schooling
and this is where I where I’ll be do you
feel a little bit jealous that you’re
the only person not from California here
um no I actually kind of like it
she’s but I like the warm weather too
so now Sharon we talked about your your
triple there against Austin P you’ve had
some big moments just does anything
stand out to you the most of of moments
you’ve had so far this year had that
home run against Utah
Tech any moment stand out to you I
mean yeah I would say the Utah Tech home
run um that was actually really big I
mean granted how uh things happened in
Utah really didn’t go our way but that
what we did the last day we flushed the
whole pretty much the whole entire
weekend away and just started fresh like
it’s a new day and I mean hey I didn’t
start that game and I mean I just do
what I do I’m cheering in The Dugout
cheering for my teens and I’m like okay
and then Coach coach puts me in and I’m
like
okay okay my turn my turn okay so I get
in the box and I’m like oh shoot like I
don’t know I think that was the first
time I ever been like calm in at that uh
or my very first college at that there I
was calm um and yeah I mean SE ball hit
ball and it just went went over to go
over happen to go over like I just hit
the ball okay run and it just oh it went
over what I can I can jog
now now you played volleyball in high
school too correct yeah freshman year
was softball always your first sport
though your favorite sport yes so yeah
softball they won
um freshman year high school I just
wanted to try something didn’t want to
sit and do nothing during six period
softball decided to do volleyball tried
again sophomore year put me on the frost
and be like no I was on Varsity my
freshman year softball I just I’ll just
keep softball the entire four years and
yeah that was my uh one year of playing
volleyball were an outside hitter middle
blocker what were you everything
everything like uh yeah I mean it wasn’t
my first sport so pretty much put me
anywhere um I’m tall I can somewhat jump
high so I relate to the first one not
the second one
now you’re from the Anaheim area right
yeah uh your Belinda yeah how many trips
to Disneyland have you made oh oh a
whole bunch I me I’ve been going so if I
need to make like an itinerary you can
help me out oh yeah no
yeah are you a big like Theme Park
roller coaster all that absolutely
absolutely Jaylen hit 268 last year 405
this year what’s been the biggest
difference for you this year I just be
chilling bro that’s it yeah like I don’t
I don’t know like it’s just I like you
going fail it’s whatever you know what
I’m saying so that’s why like that’s why
I think like it is what it is and
softball is one of those sports that
like you forget that the best hitters in
this game fail six seven times out of 10
it’s crazy and of course everybody wants
to know you were injured in late March
how’s that coming
along you get you getting stronger oh
I’m cool bro I’ll be back I’ll be back
tomorrow I’m
good so as as it as a hitter and as a
pitcher something I’ve been impressed
with is seem like players when you have
those big moments at the plate or
whether you get a big strike out you
remember the exact sequence of what it
was whether it may it was a a 2 two rise
ball that I hit into left field do you
all have that type of memory on the big
moments in your all’s career yes yeah MH
like you always remember like your first
hit what it was who it was off of maybe
what team it was off
of who was your all’s first hit first
strikeout uh well mine wasn’t I don’t I
don’t really do strikeouts um use a
ground ball popup but um got strike but
my freshman year it was um my first
first fall game against Kentucky and the
first batter I face is Kayla kowallik
and um I remember it was it was a 3-2
count and I remember she just popped up
and I just remember like oh my God I
just got her out like I couldn’t believe
it like I thought she was like
God yeah for me I remember the Wolford
game was just that was just a fun game
in general but well I mean you throw a
perfect game in your college debut I
would think you would remember that yeah
yeah I don’t remember everything about
it and I don’t remember my first out but
that was just a big game in general that
I will always remember
remember and some of you all are
freshman here but do you all remember
like a moment when you were able to
because I’m sure college is a little bit
intimidating you don’t know whether your
game translates to to this level or not
but was there ever a moment you’re like
okay I just did this I belong
here definitely my home run moment I
think there you go definitely my home
moment and then later in the season I
hit a double after you know not really
Batten as well as well as I on to got
another hit and then this triple I mean
I mean playing this game forever it it
should be that simple mhm yeah I would
say probably the uh the WKU game that
was kind of where I found myself
honestly um I don’t know what else to
say about that I when you pretty much
shut him down and then got the
game-winning RBI to that’s just that’s
just when I found myself and I felt like
yeah I can do this and got more
confidence in
myself all right so fans see you
play either live or on TV they kind of
know what you’re like on the field let’s
get to know you a little bit more off
the field all right yall ready yeah all
right tell first let’s give it kind of
an easy one what’s your major and what
do you want to do with that one day okay
um I’m a Sports Management major and I
would like to work in like different
offices with like a professional team
like specifically um like in
Administrative Assistant yeah now before
before you the other three go on our
last guest on the podcast was Professor
muff do you have Professor muff I no but
I have heard okay
yeah go ahead MADD okay um my major is
criminal justice and I hope to be a
police officer one day or a conservation
officer I’m a mathematics major with
concentration of teaching mathematics I
hope to teach high school math and
pretty much anything but geometry we do
Algebra stats pre-cal all that numbers
like numbers mhm very much I’m major in
Psych and I want to be a
criminologist very cool favorite
celebrity either Harry Styles or Frank
Ocean music music
artists
um I say Carrie Underwood for
sure Ryan Reynolds gotta go for the eye
candy oh my God I was say I feel like we
hit a topic
there I’ll probably say Eddie Griffin or
wolf frell who was the first one Eddie
Griffin he’s a okay oh uh is that a guy
no no I don’t see I I don’t know yeah
okay who you second one huh who’s your
second one will will farell good one if
you could only visit one place for the
rest of your life where would it be Los
Angeles my home I I just love that City
so much Tennessee for sure Disney
World my
room just go in there the rest of the
time yeah don’t bother me
yeah aisle or window seat on a
plane window Window Seat window you want
the view yes window
aisle I’m with you on that you got to
stretch out yep absolutely all right so
all of y’all are music fans first
concert you attended my first concert I
ever attended was no doubt they just
head land at Coachella and parore opened
up for them never forget that oh nice my
first concert actually was uh this year
this past year and I went to Craig
Morgan okay Ariana
Grande is that my first concert Drake
and J Cole man yeah you all got some
good ones biggest pet peeve oh my
gosh being late late being late is my
biggest pet
beef time out she be late all the time
okay I’ll be but to be fair she’s in the
training room the train room yeah come
me some slack you all are getting on to
one of you I won’t mention no names for
being
late before we started
this I think my biggest bet peeve is
like when I’m talking to someone and
they just consistently say huh or what
huh huh like M fella Sanchez oh my like
ask anybody on this team they will have
to repeat themselves twice when they
talk to her okay
y gosh I can’t even think of it I can’t
even think of a pet peeve I feel like I
give other people pet peeve like I talk
with my eyes closed I’ll be interrupting
mid conversation by say oh my God sorry
but then we’ll continue saying my stuff
you’re just excited no yeah exctly yeah
uh I got a lot but I’ll probably
say uh I just had it in my head too dang
uh oh people cry like but like no reason
to cry like if you tired of running and
you start crying okay like bro yeah like
we be doing gas and folks be crying I’m
like bro what are we doing got to get
tough baby facts like got to be tough
what’s your biggest pet peeve my biggest
pet peeve is when people talk in public
on speaker
phoning room you hit theing
room yeah especially at the airport too
I know in the TSA line oh my God it’s
like they the only people in the world M
that’s a good one by far mine
yeah is a hot dog a sandwich no bro what
are we doing I feel like it’s clothes
it’s clothed bro clo yeah I say it’s
like in it it’s like its own category
like when people say like cereal soup
like no it’s just cereal like it’s just
a hot dog
Ser yeah that that’s been an argument
yeah look it up you’ve never heard that
yeah that’s crazy I never heard this
yeah I know I don’t even like hot dogs
are you serious I’m serious I hate hot
dogs seriously oh wow okay so not on the
game Day menu for MADD no chicken for
sure the game Day menu every
day well speaking of food if you could
only have one meal for the rest of your
life what would it be seafood boil Cajun
Cajun garlic and spicy spicy is seafood
boil you can have like whatever all that
homemade or like at a
restaurant cuz I feel like it’d be
better homemade like most things some if
you if you down in the South bro they
going to make it right but if you like
in the middle of the country like they
don’t know what they doing or like you
in Cali
or is Cali Seafood good like is
the feel me yeah it’s all right it’s a
good substitute I guess n if I had
choose between something else than that
I probably go with something else
yeah um I’d have to go with Mexican food
if I wanted to get like super specific
uh whenever my Grandma makes tacos and
it’s always on Taco Tuesday so that’s a
back home thing that’s definitely
something I miss here yeah but yeah I
have to go with Mexican food Taco
specifically that’s good I’d say
homecooked meal like a I don’t know
Christmas dinner Thanksgiving dinner
okay I have to go Sharon I say Mexican
food but if we get into like specifics I
would
say maybe some inil
Lalas yeah that’ be good wait green
sauce or red sauce red sauce
yes you know what you’re talking to I’m
not I’m ex the conversation this is for
after we sto
recording When did you all begin to play
softball and when did it start to take
off for you um so I technically started
playing softball when I was three um um
my dad lied on like the like fill out
sheet for like my like cities League cuz
he needed to be four like 5 years old I
was three my dad just lied so I’ve been
playing up until that point um but it
really started getting serious I think
maybe once I hit like high school and
like I got better like I got a lot
better in high school and I was like wow
I think I can maybe think I can maybe
make this into a collegate thing yeah I
started when I was five and I say it got
kind of big for me when I started going
to pitching lessons and and then like I
don’t know it just kind of took off
there when my coach told me I had
natural Spin and they just kept putting
me in games for some reason and then for
some
reason like shook them all out some
reason some reason and that was at eight
by the waying
at you had a pretty good relationship
with your like personal pitching coach
though too right yeah I did he has
actually came down and watched me play
and stuff and met coach Molly and
everything so very cool I’ve been
playing since I was like 5 years old and
I think got like super serious for me
like summer going into my sophomore year
at high school that’s when I entered
like the 18 new gold level and that’s
when it’s got like really competitive
and that’s when colleges came out that’s
when I got really serious about it uh so
it’s a process so I started when I was
like three and then I went to travel
ball it was somewhat serious right did
you have to lie on your application too
I don’t think I don’t even know bro I
was playing the grass like I don’t even
know
probably shoot picking dandelion in the
outfielding exactly playing with the
bugs like but they probably got serious
like around like after I tried to quit
it probably got serious
like I don’t even know bro probably like
first year of
16s yeah I was like yeah I can’t really
quit for real my mom was like if you
want to quit let me know I was like I
want to quit she was like no you’re not
quit it
so at least you at least you were honest
with him like
yeah you’re only hitting over 400 this
year yeah so each recruitment is
different I want just get your own
thoughts real quick on what your
recruitment was like because you all get
phone calls you get letters all that
from from different schools just was it
easy was it overwhelming what was the
process like for you um so I actually
had surgery like in the middle and peak
of
Recruitment and I actually um got on the
phone with Jane two weeks before school
started here I think it was July
30th yeah July 30th and she called me
she was like hey you ready to come and I
was like sure and yeah literally in two
weeks I was flying from California to
Kentucky wow yeah it was it was super
quick it it was really special for me
when I got that phone call and then I
came and took a visit and then she
offered me and then I already knew I
wanted to come here from the visit and
everything so I was just super excited
and I already knew my
answer um for me for the recruiting
process it was just a matter if I wanted
to play uh in college and if I had that
want in me because I’m like oh I like
softw but then my dad would Hound on me
being like Oh send your emails don’t
forget to send your emails like oh my
goodness I’m like Dad this feels like a
school thing I don’t want to do this but
I mean I had to do it and then like go
into camps um because um uh Haley sins
coach Haley sin saw me during my junior
year didn’t really I don’t know I was
scared of the phone scared to talk to
adult and then um then I got I’m like
okay I got to email them and then so
coach Haley and then Coach Worthington
came to see me during the summer and I
went to a camp at the end of summer
going into my senior year and that’s
when coach said like hey like after Camp
come to my office we got to talk and
then that’s when it like happened she
like she told me in person like oh we
really like you here’s this this and
this I’m like what did you think that
talk was going to be like did you think
we were in trouble or like something
going down I feel like it was going to
be a good thing and I didn’t know if it
was going to be like giving your answer
right on the dot no she gave me all the
time in the world that I needed and when
I was ready I was like hey coach I’m
ready to commit like let’s do this but
yeah uh mine was kind of crazy cuz like
I was in one of the co years so like you
know everybody kind of like all the all
the schools kind of had all their was
wild yeah there was really nothing left
so I don’t know it’s like my junior year
you know it’s like one of my best years
and they saw me luckily coach coach
Haley saw me and so we sat down came out
here for a
visit and ever since I just like sure
why not whatever to get to play at this
level there’s obviously some key people
outside of like your high school coach
and and maybe even a parent or something
that that has that has helped get you
all to this point who has helped you all
get to this point in for each one of
your all’s
careers I think for me it’s my entire
family my mom my sister and my dad um
they knew how much I was struggling
during that time period of my surgery
because I knew how important that time
is and seeing everybody else getting
committed and I’m out here doing rehab I
mean it like I was I was down bad I was
not I was not doing good but they
continuously pushed me every single day
they gave me all the encouragement and
all the love I needed and I I remember
like to this day um when I got that
phone call um I came out of my room I
told my parents and they just both
started crying it was it was pretty
awesome that’s a that’s a moment you’ll
never forget yeah absolutely I’d
definitely say my parents as well
specifically my dad cuz he was one of my
travel ball coaches and my travel ball
coaches as I got older and my pitching
coach and just all glory to God in my
opinion
I would have to say my dad my dad was a
really big part um whenever it was his
weekend to always practice at the
softball field or be
there that’s pretty much it um but he
was definitely big like always hounding
on me making sure like I’m doing my best
and that I am emailing coaches and that
I mean I’m putting the effort in there
in order to get a scholarship in order
to want to go play in college like I
have to like uh get better and stuff and
he’s always been like a positive
influence in my life always telling me
what’s up what I need to do to get
better and heck like he moved all the
way from California to Richmond Kentucky
wow yeah that’s a great and to this day
yes yes drove all the way from
California to here and like to this day
like he’s still like after the game
we’ll talk to me for a good 10 minutes
and then when we get dinner keep there
for 30 minutes tell me what’s up but I
mean I’m not going to talk down about
that I mean that’s that’s one of the
biggest positives in my life so yeah but
my mom my mom and the organization I
came from coaches say I got I don’t even
know how how to express how much I
appreciate them how much they’ve helped
me like mentally like I would not be
surviving here if I didn’t play for that
organization but my mom P show cuz she
she would let me quit I wouldn’t be here
right now so yeah my mom’s my best
friend it it’s great to have such a big
strong support system behind you
especially in for the three of you all
that are from California coming all the
way to Kentucky that’s a huge
adjustment yeah I
actually I remember um in fifth grade I
took like the like states and capitals
quiz and I remember like like filling in
Kentucky and I’m like what is there in
Kentucky like what is that like I only
knew KFC that was it that was about it
knew so fun fact KFC is in my hometown
oh is it really yeah I started in my
hometown where that at in Corbin Corbin
London so London Corbin it’s kind of
like Richmond Berea here okay so it’s
like very close but yeah it was so I 15
15 minutes away from the original KFC
it’s a big time does it taste the same
as every other KFC yes I
KN that’s what my family ask me all the
time whenever when I came back home
they’re like is a KFC better out there
like it’s yeah same thing i’ much rather
have like Zack bees or or something like
that so as we begin to wrap this up just
some more fun here before we wrap things
up I’m going to ask you a series of
questions you’re going to say who on the
team does this best or worst all right
who has the most
Swag
yeah loses everything oh me wait loses
everything my roommate KK misplaces
everything oh Michaela yes I lose my
airpods at least twice a day do you have
a tag on them
even then I figure it
out who would be the team
mom who Tatum or or Tatum yeah yellow or
Tatum maybe V do you agree with that
yeah see I would have say V because yeah
fifth year M yeah if you’re stranded on
an island who would get you back safely
KJ I don’t know I haven’t had she
probably kill
you how
I’d say Brooke I have faith in Brooke to
get me back she knows how to fish she
could keep me safe she got all the food
I need she could survive she could help
me back I think my roommate I think
Bella I think she’d help me figure it
out I’m G say Jazz just cuz I need some
laughs I don’t
need like just go out laughing yeah
laugh on best dancer guilty Sharon hey
hey hello who said
that do we need to clear off some room
here
want to prove yourself go ahead I
thought we were talking I thought we
were I didn’t know Jay wasn’t going to
be in the competition all I heard was uh
it was just going to be V and me in a
dance competition I I didn’t hear your
name it I didn’t hear your name in it
don’t blame me people were saying it I
would say J I’m just speaking for the
people they they might want to see this
no top three definitely Jay VI and
Sharon okay in that order in that order
worst at texting back who leaves
everybody on red
[Music]
um I don’t know I feel like a good
amount of us are horrible text it maybe
a team award no honestly
probably oh actually no
VI you’re
watching I’m a roommate I can’t even you
can’t get a hold of her you live the
room all right guys wrap things up here
we got the wheel you all been reading
that up a little bit kind of each get
one spin here and we will wrap things up
here Jaylen since you’re the closest
once we get everything hooked up here
you want to give it a
spin see what we got here I’m so scared
with the karaoke y all can’t see it so I
feel like I could make up some good ones
no uh favorite
desserted velvet cake bro okay red velv
wait no cream cheese icing or regular
icing red V okay okay all right
Sharon uh favorite
movie I watched too many movies uh I’m
gonna have to
[Music]
say either Harry Potter 3 or Moana okay
what’s so great about Harry Potter 3 uh
is it the best one yeah I lowkey think
it is okay I think how many are there
eight well seven there’s seven but two
parters and then you got the play at the
very end so I mean that’s a lot wait
there’s a play at the end yeah Harry
Potter and the first child I’ve never
seen Harry Potter kid Harry Potter has a
child wow they made it a play not a
movie
oh your worst
sport golf golf trying to I be trying to
step and swing at the same time your
swing doesn’t translate from here to
here no I’m always
whiffing do you play a lot of golf or do
you like go to put put or no my dad and
my boyfriend are both really big golfers
and they try to no it’s not happening
have you been to Top Golf no I’ve never
been Top Golf is a lot of fun it is
really fun you
make onto the net the
N all right last one here we I’m hoping
it’s car somebody’s got to get
karaoke it’s not karaoke No it’s not
karaoke uh favorite non-domestic animal
so one that’s like not going to be in
your house living um can’t be a cat or a
dog probably a Mamba M M M mentality
okay there you go a snake
oh I was thinking the same
thing ladies thanks so much for taking
some time it’s been a pleasure to get to
talk to you all keep on going on this
magical season it’s uh it’s been a lot
of fun to watch you all and let’s keep
this thing going absolutely thank you
thank you ladies thanks so much and
thank you all for tuning Us in here
today here from Gerard Hood field we’ve
got EKU softball with with us today and
we have been chatting with Lauren narv
Jaylen Haynes Matty Routan and Sharon
Duncan here on the podcast thanks so
much for joining us my name is West
Chandler and until next time you’ve been
kicking it with the colonels
