BY SHANE DONALDSON ’99

Danielle Gariglio ’17 is a member of the Rhode Island softball team. The following is an excerpt from the blog she writes for GoRhody.com, Covering the Gaps.

In 2015, there were 371,891 girls playing high school softball. Of that number, 30,874 went on to play college softball, but only 6,025 made it to the Division I level. I am extremely proud and grateful to be part of the 1.6 percent of softball players nationwide who essentially made it to one of the highest levels of competition in this sport.

How did I get to be so lucky?

Every few weeks in the fall, we had individual meetings with our coaching staff. During our meetings, each of us was asked, “Why? Why do you play? Why do you do what you do?” For me it was easy.

“Because I love softball,” I said.

I added how I believe there are moments in your career that help everything make sense for you as to just why you do what you do.

When you hit an RBI double and look back to the bench and see your teammates screaming for you. That’s why.

When you make a diving play to end an inning and you stand up with your teammates who are right there waiting to high-five you and shake you around. That’s why.

But maybe sometimes loving the game you play is not enough; maybe sometimes those moments of greatness are not enough. Why do you play when you are 0-for-10? Why do you play when you are in a slump so big you feel like you couldn’t hit a beach ball thrown down the pipe? Why do you play a game that is surrounded by failure, and can sometimes be emotionally and mentally draining?

Nearly every day since that meeting I have thought about all of the reasons why I play the game of softball; why I play a game that if you succeed just three out of every 10 times in the batter’s box, it’s considered success. Here are some of the whys that I have come up with:

I play softball because of my mom. If it wasn’t for her, this game would have never meant what it means to me now. And if you’re wondering what softball means to me, the answer is everything. She pushed me to be the athlete I am today, and without her, none of what I am doing now would have been possible. Both of my parents have invested so much into batting lessons, trainers, travel teams and equipment. For that I am forever grateful.

I play softball because of my two brothers, because they sacrificed so much for me and my softball career growing up. Every weekend of every summer and fall, from when I was 9 until I was 18, my mom was driving me up and down the East Coast to tournaments and showcases, more often than not leaving the boys behind.

I play softball because of my teammates, all of the teammates that I have ever had. Because one way or another, at some point, they helped me excel and grow, whether it be as a person or a player. But especially my current teammates, because we have been through so much together and I love each one of them like they are my own blood.

My Biggest Why

Despite all of the reasons as to why I play softball, my biggest “why” came to light just this week. Last fall I began to follow the story of a girl from upstate New York who had been battling stage four brain cancer since 2011. Her name was Courtney Wagner.

She had a passion for soccer, and in her senior year she had committed to Hobart and William Smith College in Geneva, N.Y. to play Division III soccer. Though the cancer did not allow her to play soccer during her senior year of high school or her freshman year of college, which she had just begun this past September, she never lost her incredible spirit and character. She was a true fighter.

I followed her mother’s Facebook page—called Courtney Kicking Cancer—for the last year, and found myself checking the site daily to see how my friend Courtney was doing. Though I never had the pleasure of meeting Courtney, her faith and will to survive inspired me every day.

Courtney passed away on Monday, October 26, 2015.

The reason I shared the story of my friend Courtney is because I play for those who can’t. I play for those who would give anything to be in my shoes but couldn’t quite make it there; I play for those who would give anything to be able to walk, or run, or kick a ball or swing a bat.

On Thursdays, my teammates might have to drag me to our conditioning workout kicking and screaming, but once I get there all I can ever think about is how lucky I am to be where I am; how lucky I am to be able to run a 300-yard sprint; how lucky I am to be able to breathe. I’m lucky to play this game that I love, and that is why I do what I do.

To be a Division I athlete is indeed a privilege, but I believe it is a privilege that somewhere along the line has been well earned. I love this game of softball, and when you get down to the nuts and bolts of it, then yes, that is why I play, because I love it. But there is so much more behind it than just love. There are so many people who every single day continue to instill that love in me. Softball is my outlet, and I have no idea where I would be without it.