At the age of five, Melissa Fowler stepped onto a t-ball field in Lexington, KY as the shortstop of her team. Oh, and did we mention — she was the only girl in the league! She then went on to join her first softball team at eight, and still gets excited every time she hits the field.



Play Ball!

Melissa has come a long way since her days of t-ball. Now at age 15, she plays shortstop and second base for the Lafayette High School Generals in Lexington, KY. In her rookie season with the team, Melissa earned the Most Improved Player Award, followed the next year by her team's Junior Golden Glove Award. But that's not all—Melissa also plays for the Southwest Lexington Pride in a 16-and-under division of the Babe Ruth softball league, and in an 18 and under league for the National Softball Association. All of these games keep Melissa busy, but she says, “I love the game.” During the school year, she plays high school games during the week, and goes to tournaments during the weekends. She has tournaments almost every weekend in the summer too, but she loves every minute of it!

Melissa says it's really important to stay safe when you're on the field or behind the plate. “We always wear helmets when we're up to bat. I also wear batting gloves and sliding pads to protect my legs.” Take Melissa's advice and check out the softball activity card for more safety tips and tricks of the trade.

Eyes on the Prize

Through her involvement in softball, Melissa has had the chance to travel, and take part in some exciting events. Every year, Melissa and her high school team travel to Florida for spring training. They play against schools from around the country—and get some free time to visit the beach and check out the sites.

Melissa has also traveled to Raleigh, NC and Greenville, VA for the National Softball Association and Babe Ruth softball World Series.

Batter Up

Wanna' learn more about getting involved in softball in your area? Melissa suggests checking out beginners' leagues and clinics through your local park and recreation programs, as well as the National Softball Association. She also says that if you have a high school softball team in your area, you or your parents may want to talk to the coach—they can point you in the right direction of beginners' leagues, park and recreation leagues, and clinics. So grab a glove, invite your friends, and take the field!

Check out more info on softball!