Play the Outfield Fearlessly!

Don't Underestimate Outfield! Everyone Will Need Experience in the Outfield

Too often, only the weaker defenders are assigned outfield duty and the best players have determined early that they are too good to play the outfield. By the time a collegiate career comes around, many players have never been taught any of the necessary skills to play the outfield positions and thus must start at ground zero.

After years of being a shortstop (or pitcher, etc.), it is a daunting prospect for a player to move into that last line of defense. There is no reason why all players do not learn all skills at an early age, regardless of where the present team needs her talents.

At the earliest ages, outfielders are an afterthought. How many youth coaches have kids jumping up and down to play left field? Not often. But it is no reason they don't. On this team we want to change the perspective of the outfield player. You are:

• Our last line of defense
• Our big guns against big hitters
• The savior of overthrows and errors from infielders
• Crucial to preventing runs and plays at the plate
• Our eyes on the field!
• Smart players
• Communicators

As an outfielder you have plenty of responsibilities to the team. We need your help! You are the only players that have a view of the entire field. This is why it is very important that you TALK, and can communicate loudly and clearly. 

Centerfield:

You are the Queen of the outfield. You need to track down every ball you can, if you can get balls in left center, or right center take them. Don't hesitate! Most of all, you must have a gun for an arm. You have to hit your cuts!! Don't forget you also have to communicate to your right and left fielders. They need to hear your voice on every ball hit.

Right and leftfield: 

You are our last lines of defense on overthrows at every base! Play the angles, move your feet to get to the ball and pay attention. Don't fall asleep on the job, because if the ball gets past you it is likely the runner will get an extra two if not three bases! We need you. You also have to communicate to your center field on every ball hit to the outfield.

We can get by without a strong outfield in little league and low level play. But as the level of play advances we need our outfield to be strong, confident studs! No matter who you are, if you find yourself in the outfield, take pride in your play and in your team. You are needed and you are a critical part of the game. For those of you who think the outfield is boring, not needed, and meant for bad players. You will be shocked when we play teams who are advanced and can hit. Watch any college game and you will see the outfield working, and that is with the best pitching in the country on their team.

All players should have a working knowledge of, and some experience in, outfield play. Overall player development should include a core group of skills imperative to strong outfield play. Overhand throwing, fielding fly balls and groundballs, footwork, communication and confidence are all crucial components of a solid outfielder.

Checkout this collegiate outfielder for the gators 

Career Honors: National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA)/Louisville Slugger Second-Team All-American in 2008 and 2009 … Easton First-Team All-American in 2008 and 2009 … All- Southeastern Conference Second Team in 2009 … Women’s College World Series All-Tournament Team in 2008 … NFCA All-Southeast Region in 2008 and 2009 … SEC All-Tournament Team in 2008 … SEC All-Freshman Team in 2007 … SEC Player of the Week on Feb. 16, 2009 and March 2, 2009 … USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top-25 Finalist in 2009 … SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2008 and 2009 … SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll in 2007 … SEC Community Service team member in 2009 … Point of Light Award winner in 2009

Career Highlights: Holds seven records at Florida: single-season home runs (18), single-season RBIs (70), single-season sacrifice flies (6), single-season slugging percentage (.713; tied), career home runs (41), career RBIs (156) and career sacrifice flies (11) … Also ranks in the top 10 on 15 other single-season lists, including a .494 on-base percentage (2^nd), 137 total bases (2^nd), 48 walks (2^nd) and 75 hits (T5^th) … Ranks in the top 10 on eight other UF career lists, including a .310 batting average (7^th), a .595 slugging percentage (2^nd) and a .411 on-base percentage (5^th) … Tallied 70 RBIs in 2009, holding the fifth spot in SEC single-season record books … Also is tied for fifth in the league record book with 18 single-season home runs (2009) and tied for seventh with 17 home runs (2008) … 41 career home runs ranks eighth in league record book as well … Has five career grand slams.

As a Junior (2009): Named to the NFCA/Louisville Slugger All-America Second Team and Easton All-America First Team … NFCA All-Southeast Region and All-SEC Second-Team honoree … Played all 68 with a torn ACL, starting 62 in left field … Led the team in on-base percentage (.494), RBIs (70), home runs (18), game-winning RBIs (14), multi-RBI games (23), extra-base hits (29) and tied for the best slugging percentage (.713) … Second among Gators with 124 total bases, 48 walks, 11 doubles and three grand slams … Fourth-best batting average (.339) on the team … Home run total tied for eighth in the country and second in the SEC while RBI total was fourth-best, also second in the conference, and RBIs per game (1.04) ranked 13^th nationally … Tallied the most walks in SEC games among all conference players (25) and tied for the second-most home runs (8) and fourth-most RBIs (25) … Recorded three game-winning runs and 13 multi-hits games … Recorded a career-long 10-game hit streak from Feb. 7 to Feb. 19, tallying 15 hits and 23 RBIs … Recorded a .968 fielding percentage, making only one error for the second straight season … Belted 18^th home run of the season to break Florida’s single-season record in the 3-0 win over No. 6 Arizona in the Gators’ first WCWS game on May 28 … Went 1-for-2 with one run and two walks in the win over No. 4 Alabama on May 31 … Went 2-for-3 with a double in the second WCWS championship game against No. 2 Washington on June 2 … Batted .500 in the Gainesville Regional with four hits, two doubles, four RBIs and a .636 on-base percentage … Tallied first outfield assist of the season in the win over Texas A&M on May 16 … Broke UF’s single-season and career RBI records with two against No. 16 Tennessee in semifinals of conference tournament on May 8, tallying a two-run shot … Went 1-for-2 in both games of the doubleheader with Arkansas on April 25, hitting a two-run home run … Batted .400 with two hits, including a homer, three RBI and a run scored in the series with No. 18 LSU … Nailed two home runs in the second game at Kentucky on April 11, breaking UF’s all-time home run record … Hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat No. 21 Florida State on April 8 … Broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth with a grand slam at Auburn on April 1 … Record two three-run home runs in the series with No. 4 Alabama … Drew three walks, including two in 14-pitch at bats against No. 6 Tennessee in game one of the doubleheader on March 21 … Hit a two-run home run in win over Ole Miss in second game of the doubleheader on March 14 … Went 2-for-3 with two walks in game one of the doubleheader versus South Carolina on March 7 … Batted 2-for-3 with a home run against Texas Tech and went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs against Illinois on Feb. 28 … Went 3-for-5 with one run and one RBI in win over Pacific on Feb. 27 … Earned SEC Player of the Week on March 2 for performance which included 12 hits, including a double and two homers, seven RBIs and five runs … Hit a two-run homer against No. 14 Fresno State on Feb. 19 … Turned in a 2-for-3 performance which included a homer, two RBIs and a run scored against Georgia Tech on Feb. 15 … Batted 3-for-3 with a grand slam against FAU and then went 2-for-4 with a grand slam against South Alabama, both on Feb. 14 … Went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI versus Texas Tech on Feb. 13 … Earned SEC Player of the Week on Feb. 16 for weekend’s performance … Went 2-for-6 with a home run, three RBI, two runs scored and three walks in the opening series with Baylor.

As a Sophomore (2008): Earned NFCA/Louisville Slugger All-America Second-Team and Easton All-America First-Team honors … Selected to the NFCA All-Southeast Region First Team … Earned a spot on the WCWS All-Tournament Team after turning in a .316 batting average, six hits, two home runs and four RBIs … Also earned All-SEC Tournament Team honors for a .444 batting average, four hits, one home run and two RBIs … Started and played in 74 games, primarily in left field … Tied for the third-best batting average  (.336) and total hits (75) on the team … Led the Gators with 17 home runs and 64 RBIs … Second in the SEC in home runs and tied for 16^th in the nation … Also second in the league in total bases (137) and RBIs … Led the team with 18 multi-RBI games, including seven games with three RBIs and one with four … Recorded 19 multi-hit games … Tied for the team lead with 28 extra-base hits …  Scored 41 runs, nailed 11 doubles and recorded a .614 slugging percentage … Knocked in the winning run a team-high 18 times and scored the winning run seven times … Put together a seven-game hitting streak from Feb. 17 to Feb. 24 … Was a perfect 3-for-3 on stolen base attempts … Recorded a .962 fielding percentage, only tallying one error on the season … Recorded a .378 batting average in the NCAA Tournament, with team-highs 14 hits and 13 RBIs … Hit two home runs in the 6-1 WCWS semifinal win over Texas A&M … Had two hits, including a double, in each of Florida’s wins over California in the NCAA Super Regional … Hit a grand slam against Georgia Tech in the NCAA Regionals … Went 6-for-9 with a double, a home run, two runs scored and five RBIs in the series against Auburn … Went 2-for-2 with a home run, a walk, two runs scored and three RBIs against Longwood on March 22 … Hit a three-run homer against Notre Dame on Feb. 24 … Did not record a strikeout on the season until Feb. 24 … Hit a three-run home run in the win over East Tennessee State on Feb. 16 … Hit first home run of the season in the shutout of Mercer on Feb. 13 … Did not get a hit in the ’08 campaign until Feb. 10, but then went on a six-game hitting streak … Played for the Virginia Legends in the 23-and-Under Amateur Softball Association National Tournament in the summer of 2008 … Helped led the Legends to their third consecutive National title, drilling a home run in the first championship game and going 3-for-3 in the title game … Earned Tournament MVP.

As a Freshman (2007): Started and played in 48 games … Injured knee on Feb. 24 and returned to the Gator lineup on April 4 ... Started at catcher and first base prior to injury, then started as the designated player … Had five game-winning RBIs and three game-winning runs on the season … Had five multi-hit and four multi-RBI games … Hit Florida’s only grand slam of the season in the third inning in its 8-0, five-inning win over Georgia Tech in NCAA Regional action on May 19 … Also added a sacrifice fly in the game to finish with five RBI … Hit a home run in the second game of the Kentucky series on May 5 … Batted .444 with six RBIs in the series against Eastern Michigan before injuring knee… Hit career first home run, the gamewinner, against New Mexico on Feb. 11 … Scored the game-winning run against Arizona on Feb. 10 … First hit of the season was part of a 2-for-3 performance with the game-winning hit against Oregon on Feb. 9.

High School: A 2006 graduate of El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills, Calif. …Coached by Lori Chandler … Earned all-city, All-West Valley League and all-area honors all four years … Named the West Valley Co-MVP in 2003 and the Most Valuable Player in 2004 … Played travel ball with the Orange County Batbusters … Coached by Gary Haning …Team claimed the 16-and-Under Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) National title in 2003 and the 18-and-Under ASA Class A National title in 2004 … Team finished third at the 2005 Gold Nationals and won in 2006.