Schaible breaks records with hard work ethic
Whether it’s scoring home runs or just working hard at practice, junior third baseman Amy Schaible leaves a lasting impression on everyone she meets.
Leaving Red Bluff, Calif., to come to Logan was not what this softball player originally had in mind. But after looking at other schools, she decided to come to USU because of its atmosphere.
“I had a couple of other schools I was interested in, but it was really just the environment,” Schaible said. “I really wanted to be in an outdoorsy type of environment.”
Schaible, who is majoring in social work at USU, has been a vital part of the softball team’s success. As a junior, she is currently placed No. 1 at bats, game starts, total place appearances, games played, runs scored, hits, total bases and the most impressive, home runs.
“I don’t feel like I’m doing anything extraordinary because all the team contributes the same amount of work,” she said. “I guess I’m just lucky.”
With a humble attitude, Schaible sees each practice as another day to improve her softball skills. Because of this, she has significantly improved since last year, and she continues to work hard despite her current success.
“What’s good about Amy is she’s not stopping her learning curve,” Head Coach Candi Letts said. “She’s continuing to learn as she goes so that she’ll never stay the same.”
With a fun softball team and a new, accommodating head coach, Schaible’s been able to see the entire team relax and improve since last year. Less tension has helped Schaible have less stress and to play each game to her fullest, she said.
“We’ve had a lot more fun than last year, and coach works around our style of hitting,” she said. “We’re having a lot more fun and we’re starting to win some games.”
Like other teams, the beginning of the season was hard on the girls emotionally and physically. But all the hardships have actually been a positive thing by bringing all the girls closer together, Schaible said.
“We’ve gone through some problems and we’ve all worked through them, so I think that’s what makes us that much closer,” she said. “And if we’re not winning, we’re performing well.”
After beating Nevada two weeks ago, Schaible’s confidence “is way up” and the girls now believe they can win games, Letts said.
“It was our first win in conference, and Nevada’s a good team,” Schaible said. “It definitely helped to come back from two bad losses.”
Another team that will pose a big challenge for the Aggies this week is San Jose State. They will be facing off against the Spartans Friday and Saturday in a three-game series.
“Every team has their different qualities,” she said. “San Jose is going to be a tough team.”
Not only will Schaible have to go up against a difficult team, she will also be competing against former high school teammates Kasey Igarta and Brittany McConnell.
“I have a couple of friends I’ve grown up with that are on San Jose, so it’s going to be a pretty big rivalry; we’re really excited about that,” she said.
After leading the softball team to its first Western Athletic Conference sweep last week against Louisiana Tech, Schaible received the USU Player of the Week award by the state media panel.
“It feels good, but I don’t want to think about it too much because I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself,” she said about the recognition. “I want to be able to stay relaxed and just keep doing my thing.”
With support from her family, coaches and teammates, that’s exactly what she plans on doing. Schaible said she will end the current season with personal records, success and a determination to keep the momentum going for next year.
-bfairman@cc.usu.edu