By Sofia Huerta '15
Jessica Turner (JT) is getting ready for her first game of the season in a couple of weeks. After three years on the softball team, the senior from Tulsa, Okla. is ready to leave everything on the field. Turner talks about her experience as a Bronco and her hard work and dedication over Christmas break to prepare for her last season.
SCB: How does it feel to be coming up on your last season as a Bronco?
JT: It is a very bittersweet feeling that this is my last season as a Santa Clara softball player. When I was younger, the goal was always to work hard and to get to the next season, to make that one even better than the previous. I always worked towards the next step, and ultimately to fulfill my dream of playing collegiate softball. All in all, knowing that in the end there was nothing left for myself and softball. It has been a surreal feeling to accomplish that goal, and to realize that the hard work paid off. Softball has brought me to a beautiful place that I never imagined I would end up, and has allowed me to experience such beautiful people and things daily. Being a Bronco has changed my life and I could not be more thankful for this opportunity. I plan to show my appreciation by going out with a bang and striving to play the best I have ever played!
SCB: What has been your favorite part about being a part of the softball team?
JT: Being a part of the softball team is definitely unique! The best part has been the friendships we have all formed together. This is the most random group of girls, with a wide variety of personalities. However, somehow it just works! Everyone gets along so well. Nothing is better than doing what we all love and hanging with about eighteen of your best friends every day.
SCB: Talk about the off-season and what you do to prepare for your season.
JT: Our sport is unique because we have a long winter break, and then less than a month to work as a team before season starts. So, naturally we have to spend a lot of time on our own, working THAT much harder to push ourselves to be ready for the season. This off-season has been different than my past off seasons, however. I have done a lot of cross training for good cardio workouts and lots of lifting. But even more than that, I spent the majority of my time pitching. I am fortunate enough to have great resources when I go home for winter break. I would start my workouts working on my different pitches and end by throwing to live batters.
SCB: What are your individual goals for this season?
JT: My goals are pretty simple this season. Of course I want to improve from last year and make a good impact on the pitching staff. But ultimately my goal is to be someone that my teammates can look up to, and know that they have someone that has there back, no matter what. I want to be a good senior leader that people can count on. But above all these things, my goal is to be thankful. I want to be thankful for those that provided me with this opportunity to live out my dreams, thankful to God for the talent He gave me, and thankful to my teammates for helping make my last four years here some of the best in my life.
SCB: What has your team discussed about the season coming up?
JT: Our team has the goal of turning the softball program around. We want to start a legacy of greatness at this school and be a name that other teams are fearful of. We have been working on putting this into action with lots of repetition. We are working to make each day better than the last.
SCB: Talk about how your team is preparing for the first game being away.