The year of commitments ceremonies have began; where select student athletes will begin to embark on their journeys to playing their respective sport at a higher level. This is no different in the case of senior softball player Lalaina Moore. In an environment filled with love and excitement, Moore has officially signed with a Division I school, San Jose State University (SJSU) on Apr. 19.
Since beginning softball at the age of nine, Moore has known that this was the sport she had to pursue, even during college.
“I’ve always dreamed of playing softball in college since I was little. I wanted to show the people who have supported me that anything is possible and that hard work pays off.”
Furthermore, there are a multitude of factors that allow for student athletes to succeed in their sport. During the ceremony, her coach, David Aspeitia, discussed some attributes that led to Moore’s success.
“Two years ago, [Moore] came up to me after practice in [junior varsity (JV)] and asked what she could do to get better. We talked about it, and she ended up joining my trial team for a little while. [Additionally,] two years of hard work and dedication got her to where she is today. We couldn’t be more proud of her, and she deserves everything that has happened to her.”
While Moore did ultimately end up committing to SJSU, it wasn’t an easy decision. Moore said, “I had a lot of Division III offers as well as some Division II offers, and for a while it was between SJSU and San Francisco State University. I ultimately chose SJSU because of the better opportunities at the school; I just saw more of a future at SJSU.”
Since Moore has played softball since the age of nine, she undoubtedly has had many fond memories of the sport. When prompted about her favorite memory, she said, “My favorite memory playing softball would probably have to be when me and my sister first started playing. Even though my sister never liked softball as much as me, the memories I had with her when we were both learning how to throw, or how to swing that bat are priceless. “
When asked what advice Moore would give to aspiring college athletes, she said, “[It is important] to never give up and there are always going to be highs and lows in any sport that you play and it is important to celebrate the highs and the lows as they come.”
Moore is a testament to how far hard work and dedication can take a person if they want something bad enough. We wish her all the best, and congratulations on committing to SJSU!
