GULF SHORES, Ala. --- In between practices, workouts and team meeting preparing for the pending NAIA National Championship, the California Baptist University softball team found time to pay a special visit to a group of local students.
With the morning practice out of the way, the Lancers headed to Gulf Shores Middle School to talk with a group of seventh and eighth graders about some important life lessons and values.
“These are the values that we as coaches try to teach our players and now it was their turn to pass them on to a younger generation,” said Head Coach Mike Smith. “It was nice to go out into this community and get to interact on a personal level with some great kids.”
CBU was joined by players and coaches from the St. Thomas softball team speaking to the middle school physical education classes. After some of the Bobcat players did skits and raps presenting the five core principles of the NAIA, the Lancers took the floor and urged the students to heed the advice they were being given not only that day, but by their parents and teachers on a daily basis.
“We decided to break the kids into groups so that we could interact with them on a more one-on-one basis,” said senior second baseman Briana Corral. “It was fun not just to get to talk to them, but hear what they had to say.”
Corral, Caty Reeves and Starr White introduced the squad and then broke the seventh and eighth graders into small groups. The Lancer players mixed with each group and shared stories to illustrate their points.
“It was a lot of fun because we got to not only talk to a lot of the kids about integrity and respect, but we got to know them,” said senior catcher Nicole Shoemaker. “They told us about their favorite sports and what they like to do for fun, as well as us trying to teach them some things.”
With Gulf Shores hosting the NAIA National Championship for the first time, the day almost served as a meet and greet between the collegiate players and the surrounding community.
“We brought these players out into our community to speak about integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership which are the five core values of the NAIA,” said Michelle Russ of the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Sports Commission. “It was great to see how they connected with these kids. We so appreciated these teams taking the time out to come here and show what champions are. Now we are just looking forward to some great softball.”
With a full schedule of games on the horizon, the time served as a welcome break for Coach Smith and his players.
“It takes them out of just thinking about softball,” said Smith. “They were using some of their experiences in the real world to illustrate to these kids and that’s what you want to see from your student athletes.”
“I really feel like we did something good and touched these kids’ lives, even if it was just for an afternoon,” said junior outfielder Tina Galinato. “They were great kids and being with them helps us put softball into perspective.”
CBU begins its quest for a second NAIA National Title Thursday against SUNY Canton (N.Y.). In their final year in the NAIA, the Lancers will be making one last push at another championship and may just have a few more fans in 12-13 year old age bracket filling the stands along the way.
With the morning practice out of the way, the Lancers headed to Gulf Shores Middle School to talk with a group of seventh and eighth graders about some important life lessons and values.
“These are the values that we as coaches try to teach our players and now it was their turn to pass them on to a younger generation,” said Head Coach Mike Smith. “It was nice to go out into this community and get to interact on a personal level with some great kids.”
CBU was joined by players and coaches from the St. Thomas softball team speaking to the middle school physical education classes. After some of the Bobcat players did skits and raps presenting the five core principles of the NAIA, the Lancers took the floor and urged the students to heed the advice they were being given not only that day, but by their parents and teachers on a daily basis.
“We decided to break the kids into groups so that we could interact with them on a more one-on-one basis,” said senior second baseman Briana Corral. “It was fun not just to get to talk to them, but hear what they had to say.”
Corral, Caty Reeves and Starr White introduced the squad and then broke the seventh and eighth graders into small groups. The Lancer players mixed with each group and shared stories to illustrate their points.
“It was a lot of fun because we got to not only talk to a lot of the kids about integrity and respect, but we got to know them,” said senior catcher Nicole Shoemaker. “They told us about their favorite sports and what they like to do for fun, as well as us trying to teach them some things.”
With Gulf Shores hosting the NAIA National Championship for the first time, the day almost served as a meet and greet between the collegiate players and the surrounding community.
“We brought these players out into our community to speak about integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership which are the five core values of the NAIA,” said Michelle Russ of the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Sports Commission. “It was great to see how they connected with these kids. We so appreciated these teams taking the time out to come here and show what champions are. Now we are just looking forward to some great softball.”
With a full schedule of games on the horizon, the time served as a welcome break for Coach Smith and his players.
“It takes them out of just thinking about softball,” said Smith. “They were using some of their experiences in the real world to illustrate to these kids and that’s what you want to see from your student athletes.”
“I really feel like we did something good and touched these kids’ lives, even if it was just for an afternoon,” said junior outfielder Tina Galinato. “They were great kids and being with them helps us put softball into perspective.”
CBU begins its quest for a second NAIA National Title Thursday against SUNY Canton (N.Y.). In their final year in the NAIA, the Lancers will be making one last push at another championship and may just have a few more fans in 12-13 year old age bracket filling the stands along the way.
