Breanna Volkmann's Final Fall Game

The final fall game was a split feeling. I wasn’t able to play because of an injury but seeing the girls play makes me excited for season but also watching made me realize we are not close to being where we need to be if we want to win a championship. I am very excited for my last fall season because I no longer will have to do the heavy lifting but with this group of girls I am going to be very sad to know I will no longer be seeing these girls and will have to start a new chapter to my life. I’m looking forward to going home and seeing my family for break. I like knowing that I get to see ALL my family during Christmas that I don’t see all the time. I am excited for my dad to be retired during my break and knowing he will be at almost all my softball games for my last year. Lastly I am excited to go to California to see my boyfriend and his family since I don’t get to see them all the time and they are like my second family. I know the break is my last break of school and that I will be starting my last semester of school and my last season of softball.

Brooke's View On Fall Ball

Now that our fall softball season has concluded, I am even more excited to see what our team can accomplish this spring in our regular season. As a freshman, I was unsure of what to expect during our 14 inning scrimmages. There were many different emotions that I experienced before I played my first scrimmage, simply because we had great practices and thought we were good but I knew the true test would be how we faced the adversity of playing another team. The team chemistry is great, and everyone has winning on their minds. If we continue to stay driven, I believe we are the only thing that can keep us from succeeding this season. 

Introduction of Freshman Brooke Swadley

My name is Brooke Swadley, I am a freshman softball player here at Missouri Southern State University. I grew up in Purdy, Missouri. Although I have been playing softball since I was five years old, in both high school and ASA competitive softball, I must say college is very different than both. I had to adjust to new teammates, new coaches, new peers in the classroom, and time management. The transition from high school to college has been a very smooth process for me. Everyone on our team is very easy to get along with.

Coming into college, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The practices are long and hard, but organized and challenging. I can feel myself getting better every single day. The best difference between college and high school is that every day at practice everyone wants to be there, we all have the love for the game and to me that is the most important key to having a winning team.

The overall classroom setting is very different than what I was used to in high school. The classroom size is not much larger, but the attitude and main goals of the teachers are very different. I have learned that professors want you there and they care about how you do in their class, but if you don’t show up to their class that is your own fault. It doesn’t matter to them one way or the other.

Lastly, I had to learn better time management skills. Being a student athlete can be very challenging at times. Softball consumes most of our time and outside of that we have homework, so I have to be wise when I am choosing when to hang out with friends. I have already gotten better at time management since I’ve gotten here.

In conclusion, I have very much so enjoyed the process of becoming a freshman in college after being a senior in high school. I really enjoy it here, and I have high hopes for our softball team this year!

Welcome by Senior Center Fielder Breanna Volkmann

Hi my name is Breanna Volkmann! I am senior and play center field. Coming into my senior year I have had mixed thoughts and feelings. I am very excited to be graduating this coming may but sad that it will be my last year playing fast pitch softball after 17 years of my life committed to it! I'm very happy for this season of softball because after watching everyone, I feel we have a very good team and will go farther then we have in the past 3 years.