Playing a sport takes a lot of heart and dedication. From having to have mental toughness to perseverance, athletes must push through exhaustion, setbacks, and challenges while trying to be the best player they can be. But to coach a sport? That, on the other hand, takes a love most athletes won’t be able to find.
The new Assistant Cabot Softball coach Grace Neal had nothing short of love. Her drive, coaching tactics, and huge heart already made her a favorite among players. However, her love for the game didn’t pop out of thin air.
“My dad and grandfather inspired me to start my softball career,” Neal said. “My grandfather is in the Slow Pitch Hall of Fame, and I wanted to be just like him.”
While her parental figures pushed her to try softball, her dedicated mindset toward the sport ultimately revealed her adoration for it.
“I realized softball was my passion when I was about 14,” Neal said. “I had just come off of a really bad injury where I had broken my leg. I worked so hard to get back to the game, and the reward was immeasurable.”
If a broken leg couldn’t stop Neal, what could? Even though softball was her number one sport, she was able to give a few other sports a try, with Neal competing in volleyball and basketball in her junior and high school years.
Neal said, “I played volleyball from 7th to 12th grade for Cabot, and club volleyball for one year. I loved playing volleyball! I also played one year of basketball in 7th grade, and let’s just say that it’s a good thing I was better at the other two sports.”
In addition to being an outstanding volleyball player, Neal contributed her softball skills to a travel organization. Travel ball is when athletes from different high schools come together during the summer and fall to compete in higher-scale tournaments. To Neal, this was where she wanted to be.
“My travel years were amazing. I got to travel the entire country with an amazing group of teammates and it gave me memories and friendships that I will cherish forever,” Neal said.
During the downtime of travel ball, high school seasons start. To athletes, high school ball is where you work on your skills for the upcoming summer, and it is where most recruiting processes come to light; however, it meant so much more to Neal.
“My high school years were the best years of softball I had,” Neal said. “I really developed my freshman year and it was uphill from there. I won many accolades through high school ball.”
For some athletes, high school ball was where their journey in sports would end. For others, it was just the beginning. Neal was one of those athletes who knew her story wasn’t over yet.
“I knew I wanted to play college ball at a very young age. It really became a reality when I got into high school,” Neal said. “Showcase tournaments and camps were my life for about 4 years.”
After high school, athletes often wonder where they will go to further their education and athletics. Fortunately for Neal, the process was relatively easy in the long run.
“I committed to play at the University of Arkansas at Monticello the summer before my junior year of high school. I had many other visits and offers before I made my decision, but ultimately UAM felt like home and I was excited to be a part of a tight-knit and small community,” Neal said.
Neal made the right decision. Her college ball years were extraordinary, and she led the team in different stats each year. Some of these stats were RBIs, doubles, game starts, slugging, home runs, games played, and so on. She went on to graduate from the same college, earning her degree in exercise science. She also received her Bachelor of Science degree, and she is currently pursuing her master’s in teaching.
Athletes would do anything to achieve the amount of opportunities and honors that Neal has earned. Even after she graduated college, her love for the game of softball continued to grow, with Neal finally taking a coaching position at Cabot’s softball program.
“I always knew that I wanted to be a softball coach, and coming back to Cabot just felt like a dream,” Neal said. “I had some of the best years of my life playing for Cabot and Coach Cope, so when I got the opportunity, there was no way I was going to give that up.”
Once Neal took the job, there was no going back. Although she has only been working with the program this year, the relationships she has created with her players are timeless. Senior Addison Fulbright knew that with Neal, her personal and athletic life would always be heard and cared for.
“Coach G has helped me on the field to realize that not everyone is perfect, everyone has good and bad days, and that it’s so ok to have fun, ” Fulbright said. “She has helped me to see the bigger picture on certain issues in my life I felt like at the time I couldn’t overcome. She has made such a great difference in my attitude on the field, and that’s just some of the things she’s done for me.”
Being a great coach requires more than just a love for the game. It required honesty, compassion, patience, determination, and, most of all, heart. While Neal had all these qualities, her love for her players outshined everything else.
Neal said, “I want to be the coach that the girls can come to for anything. Softball is so much more than just the game. It’s about life, love, friendship, work ethic, and everything in between. I want to be the coach that bridges the gap for this team. I have so much love and pride for this team and these girls and I see the brightest futures for every one of them. Helping them become the best version of themselves in every aspect of life is my ultimate goal for this team.”
