By: Ramona Villegas
Junior transfer student Jaelynn Huerta has been playing softball since she was three years old, motivated and supported by her dad, Julian.
While grateful that he introduced her to it at a young age, she is even more thankful for the opportunity to make her dad proud.
“Sports have been a real big part of my family,” Jaelynn said.
Jaelynn knew from a young age that watching the older girls play softball in high school and then in college, that it was going to be in her future.
“That was what I wanted. I saw how good they were. I saw how like the teams worked together in unison, how it all came together, and I wanted that,” Huerta said. “I am lucky enough, and I thank God every day that he gave me this ability and this opportunity to play, especially at this level.”
Softball has been a cornerstone in Huerta’s life, providing her with a sense of community, physical fitness and a much-needed outlet from the demands of day-to-day life.
For Huerta, the sport is not just an activity she participates in but a part of her identity.
“Softball has always been my outlet for whenever I’m happy, whenever I’m sad, anytime anything that has happened in my life,” she said. “Softball has been my constant, and I can’t imagine myself without softball.”
Huerta has found her experience as an Aggie to be nothing short of exhilarating. The atmosphere is filled with fun and positive energy, thanks to the support of the coaches, and the helpful weight room staff.
“Here I’m excited, and every day I wanna do something more, I wanna do more, more, more and I know all my teammates are like that,” Huerta said. “I ‘m surrounded by amazing girls, and I’m glad I’m here.”
Coach Howard of the Aggies reached out to Huerta two weeks before she was planning to leave for another school where she had been recruited and something about their conversation stuck with her, creating a pivotal change in her decision.
Huerta knew at that point, that Cameron University is exactly where she belonged.
“It made me think,” she said. “I honestly believe it was a sign from God.”
That conversation with Coach Howard resonated because he was direct and spoke to her like the adult she is, displaying exactly what Huerta was looking for in a coach.
“He told me what he wanted, what he expects and what he’s gonna do; and what he would want from me,” Huerta said. “That’s all I need.”
Coach Howard, known for his dedication and hunger for success, eagerly pursues the championship prize.
“He has that mindset of ‘we want a championship, so we’re gonna earn a championship’— he says it in practice, ‘every day is an audition’,” Huerta said. “That’s what I want, that’s what I wanna be surrounded by. He only wants our best; it doesn’t mean perfection, but he wants our best.”
Huerta enjoys that Howard is eager to create better athletes, people, and students, and after years in the sport, Coach Howard is the best that she has worked with.
“He cares for you on more than just an athlete level; he cares for you as a person, making sure you’re okay,” Huerta said.
The women on the softball team consistently hold each other accountable and work to improve their performances each practice.
“Everyone is hungry to be better,” Huerta said.
One of Huertas’s goals for this year is to improve her hitting, as she wants her team to feel confident when she steps up to the plate.
“I wanna see how long I can go with having solid shots back-to-back without striking out,” she said. “I wanna see how far I can go, and I want to win the for defensive player of the year.”
For more information on the softball team, visit https://cameronaggies.com/sports/softball