I initially heard of DiamondZone when I was about 10 years old when they were first building the program. I was already committed to another program, but was already taking hitting lessons at DiamondZone. About a year later, the program I was with had shut down and I decided to try out for DiamondZone. I already knew some of the coaches and some of the girls that played on the team. I made the team that year and I have been playing for them ever since. DiamondZone provides a great environment to be in and is a fun organization to play for. I couldn’t imagine playing for another team now considering the foundation that has been built from the start.
Something that has made DiamondZone a favorable experience are the people. The staff and all of the other players are extremely nice inside and outside of softball. I’ve been able to build relationships with people and grow as an individual. The people that I’m able to play this sport with are what makes it fun and memorable — it is something I look forward to.
You can say when I first joined DZ I wasn’t the best athlete. I was still young, but I had a good sense of the skills that were needed to grow. We would practice two times a week and I’d take hitting lessons outside of practice almost all year round. It was all about getting reps in and fixing up my mechanics which is exactly what I was able to do. I was able to get a better understanding of the game physically, but also mentally. They bettered my skills and developed them, which made me a better player from when I first came in. Personally, from coming to DZ, my work ethic has become stronger and now I have a better understanding of things. I learned that things take time and you have to work for the things you want and eventually you will start to see progress. It’s all about the quality of things, not the quantity.
I have played and worked with multiple coaches while playing for the DZ all in which have helped me, but the one that has impacted me the most is Brett. He saw something in my from the first time we met and took his time to work with me until I became the player that I am today. He knows when to be hard and give the little push in order to accomplish something. He understands his players in all ways and impacts them which makes him one of the better coaches.
