52 minutes in the past
DALLAS — Olympic gold medalist Jennie Finch boasts one of the spectacular resumés in softball/baseball historical past — at any degree — and has amassed numerous awards on her path to changing into a National Softball Hall of Famer.
Only one participant has gained an NCAA-record 60 consecutive begins, led their alma mater to a National Championship win, helped spearhead three World Cup victories and represented their nation on a gold medal-clinching Olympic group — Finch.
Now, simply over 20 years faraway from successful the 2001 College World Series that kickstarted her continued stardom, Finch, MLB’s youth softball ambassador, is paving the way in which for the following technology of softball stars.
On Wednesday night, the pitching phenom turned MLB ambassador hosted a clinic on the Texas Rangers Youth Academy, the place she skilled and impressed roughly 20 youth softball athletes, all of whom had been pitchers and catchers.
“It feels great to be back here,” Finch mentioned, standing on the Kershaw’s Challenge Field grass. “I’m tremendous excited. I got here [to the Texas Rangers Youth Academy] in 2018 when it had simply opened and did a clinic right here, so I’m glad to be again.
“It’s a beautiful facility, and the Texas Rangers Youth Academy has done amazing and incredible work. This program changes lives and makes an impact. It creates athletes and encourages them on their way.”
Located in West Dallas, the Academy offers free year-round baseball and softball instruction to athletes ages 7-18 and summer time ball for athletes ages 13-18 by Major League Baseball’s RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) League.
Part of this yr’s busy slate of applications on the Academy is Finch’s pitching tour, which stops at eight MLB Youth Academies throughout the nation, together with Wednesday night’s clinic in Dallas, its fourth cease of the inaugural nationwide tour.
During the clinic, Finch, the previous All-American and Pac-10 pitcher of the yr, spoke with the Academy’s youth softball athletes, providing psychological steering in addition to on-field strategies.
With Major League Baseball’s Nike RBI Southwest Regional Tournament being held on the Texas Rangers Youth Academy this weekend — by which lots of the camp attendees will compete — Finch’s go to couldn’t have come at a greater time for the youth athletes.
“[Finch] has always been a big role model that us pitchers look up to,” mentioned 17-year-old Giovanca Frias, who can be beginning within the Nike RBI Southwest Regional Tournament. “Everything she said had to do with mechanic — sticking through a pitch and relaxing our shoulders — as well as stepping on to the pitcher’s mound with confidence. Saying to ourselves, ‘I’m a beast,’ and ‘I can strike her out.’ Hearing those words means a lot and helps you out mentally while pitching.”
Though she not makes use of it to win Olympic titles or torment baseball legend Albert Pujols in entrance of his Major League friends, Finch displayed a powerful array of pitches in the course of the clinic on the Academy, together with her electrical fastball that also carries loads of zip.
Finch additionally gave the youth athletes in attendance an up-close have a look at her finger placement for her fastball, curveball, changeup and riseball.
“We really wanted to carve out time and really tap into the art and fundamentals of pitching,” Finch mentioned. “I just want to encourage them and teach them new pitches, how to spin and just kind of share my knowledge of the game, basically be a resource for whatever they need on their pitching journey.”
One of the largest classes Finch conveyed to the pitchers was to stay relentless on the mound and to not put on their feelings on their jersey.
“[Finch] told us to keep the same face when pitching,” mentioned 14-year previous pitcher Kayla Clemons. “Even if someone hits a home run off you, keep the same face. Don’t get rattled, and have confidence.”
Finch confused the significance of successful the psychological battle earlier than conquering the bodily one all through the clinic, and the youth athletes had been extremely receptive to the Softball Hall of Famer’s recommendation.
“My biggest takeaway was the mental tip [from Finch] to not be in your head during the game … keep the same mentality all the way through,” mentioned 14-year previous pitcher Hailey Zuniga. “Even if you’re losing by a lot or winning big, stick with the same mentality.”
After the clinic, Finch posed for photos and signed autographs for camp attendees. Though she is accustomed to being an icon to many, the sensation of giving again to the group and elevating up the following technology by no means will get previous for Finch.
“It’s a dream to be able to do what I love and to share the game that I’m passionate about,” Finch mentioned. “It’s a dream to have the ability to encourage and encourage the following technology. I do know that I often come to be the one inspiring, however I at all times go away simply as impressed by these athletes and their journeys, and simply their starvation and love for the sport.
“It’s contagious and I love being around it, and so it’s a true privilege and honor to be able to share what I love with them.”
