Amanda Marra is a freshman on the softball team from Anchor Bay High School in Chesterfield, Michigan. She has been starting for the Chargers at second base. Amanda is pursuing a finance major with a math minor.
When did you start playing softball?
I played tee-ball when I was four years old. My parents both played baseball and softball so I’ve been playing my entire life. My first year of travel ball, though, when I got serious, was when I was ten.
What attracted you to the game?
My parents introduced me to every sport, I’ve played basically everything. But softball was always my favorite sport growing up. I was always so excited to go to softball games and practices so I knew that was the sport that I wanted to stick with.
What is your favorite part about the game of softball?
I love the whole team atmosphere of it. Everyone just wants everyone to do so well, and everyone is so supportive and I love that part of the game.
How did you first hear about Hillsdale?
From Miriam McKay, she graduated from here a little while ago. I played high school softball with her sister. So the first time I actually heard about it was when I heard that she was going there. Then I was doing my recruiting and I knew I wanted to go to a smaller school with high academic standards, and Hillsdale was everything I was looking for.
What have been some of the differences between high school softball and college ball?
Definitely that everyone cares a lot more. The coaches care more, the players care more, and it’s just a lot more intense and it’s a lot more fun when everyone is so driven to win.
Has the experience of playing college ball met your expectations, or have there been some surprises?
No, it actually exceeded my expectations. I just love everyone on the team, everyone is so great and our coaches are so great. Definitely good surprises, if there have been any.
What has been your favorite part about playing at Hillsdale so far?
Probably just getting to know everyone on the team and being able to play softball so much because we practice almost every day. Just being able to get better and work with new people and learn new things from everyone has been awesome.
What are your individual goals for this season, and for the team?
With any role that I’m given, I just want to perform to the best of my abilities. I just want to help my team win, whether it’s making defensive plays or offensive plays I just want to be able to help my team to be better. A big team goal is that we definitely want to win the GLIAC tournament this year so we can go to the NCAA tournament. That would be amazing. We really just want to play as hard as we can every single game, that’s really our goal.
Do you have any pre-game rituals?
I always listen to music before every game, and it’s always changing but I try to listen to something that pumps me up. I have a certain routine between every pitch that I have to do. I take a swing and I rub my bat and then I get back in the box — it just helps relax me when I do the same thing over and over again. I don’t have any weird things, just subtle things.
What do you like about second base? Have you played other positions?
For as long as I can remember my main position has been second base. Coming into college I knew that I could get moved around, you never know. But Coach Joe told me that he wants me to play second, and that’s where I’ve been playing. I’m really comfortable there. I wouldn’t want to play a corner because they’re so close to the batter, but at second we have so many chances to dive for balls and we’re basically involved in every play even if it’s just backing up a base.
