University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Our Special Class
11/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2003
FROM THE DESK OF COACH - 11/12/03
OUR SPECIAL CLASS
I was watching Barney this morning with Andrew (my 2 year old son) and Barney started singing a song "SPECIAL"
"You are special, special, special in every way. You are the one, the only one who is special in your own way."
Here is a perspective (in alphabetical order) on our 7 Freshmen from the eyes of one of their teammates. They are all truly SPECIAL.
MICHELLE BERGEAUX by Danyele Gomez
Michelle is from the small town of Krotz Spring, LA where she attended Port Barre HS. She comes from a loving and devoted family from which she has learned many honorable and distinguishable traits; such as honesty, love and devotion. These admirable traits have led her to much success in her high school career and certainly more to come in her college career. In high school, Michelle helped lead her team to 4 state play-off appearances, 2 district championships and a state championship. She was selected a four-time All-District player and a three time All-State player. Michelle's hard work and perseverance did not stop there. She came to the Lady Cajuns softball team in 2002 as one of 6 outfielders and worked with a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and passion every practice in order to make a difference on the team. Although it was decided that she would redshirt, she never set one day aside to take a break. Michelle continued to work hard each day at practice and readily supported her teammates on and off the field. At practice, her enthusiasm is felt among the entire team, especially when she lays out for a ball and makes an all-star catch in center field; or when one of her teammates was not having a good practice, she continuosly tries to motivate them to "get up" and "never give up". Michelle supported us through thick and thin last season with her love and devotion and honesty.
As the 2004 season approaches, it is of no surprise to me that Michelle is working harder than ever. This fall she has worked hard in the outfield and in the batting cages. She stays for hours on end all by herself hitting ball after ball on the tee to perfect her swing. This fall, she hit a 3 run homer against McNeese in the Beaumont tournament. Nobody on this team will be surprised with Michelle's success. Her hard work and demeanor and attitude remains dependable and consistent just like she proved in her high school career; she will continue to grow as a person and as an athlete and I am proud to be her teammate and glad she is on our team.
LACEY BERTUCCI by Joy Webre
Lacey and her proud parents, Dale and Lori, are wonderful people. They have two other daughters, Lindsey and Lauren, and their family is extremely close. Knowing how loud and exciting Lacey and her mom are I can just imagine how it was to grow up in the Bertucci household. Lacey graduated from Covington HS, where she was the star catcher for the softball team. While attending UL, Lacey plans on majoring in Education, which suits her personality because she is able to get through to young kids and they just love her. She is one of those people that you cannot help but love to be around. She is funny, smart and as we all know very athletic. I was her host on her recruiting visit and I knew within the first ten minutes of meeting her that she would be a perfect addition to our team.
Lacey and her family are from Covington, LA and I guess you can say that she is a country girl. She showed cows in 4-H and she also barrel raced, and from what I hear she wasn't too shabby. I love to sit and listen to the hilarious childhood stories that she tells us about growing up in Covington. One of my favorites is when she had to chase her cows down the road to put them back in the pen, while she was still in her school uniform, which she says happened often. You know what they say -- a picture is worth a thousand words.
Lacey is one of the most determined people I have ever had the privilege of knowing. I will give you a few of the many examples of determination that she has demonstrated. Since she arrived at UL, she has had to overcome a very painful back injury and an ankle injury. She never complained or used this as an excuse to keep her from getting better. She was at practice everyday, busting her tail to get better, and working as hard as anyone else out there. Lacey is one to always go that extra mile that it takes to win. Speaking of the extra mile, she wakes up every morning at 6:45 to run at Girard Park and still works out and runs with the team in the afternoon.
Along with her physical abilities, Lacey is also mentally and emotionally strong. While in her first semester of college, not only did she move 2 hours away from home she also had to deal with a death in her family and other health problems that made it difficult for her to be away from her loved ones. She did not let this interfere with her academic or athletic goals. On the field, she was able to put these feelings aside for the team's sake. She is a team player and that is the type of person that I want to go to battle with day in and day out, because I know that I can count on her no matter if it's the worst day of her life or the greatest.
Determined as she may be, Bertucci also knows how to have a good time doing what she loves. One of my favorite parts about her personality is her ability to lighten the mood of any situation, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. She lifts our spirits with her jokes and great sense of humor, and practice would not be the same without her presence. She is a wonderful person and a great athlete, but what makes her a great new addition to our team is her willingness to work hard, push herself and others, and her charming wit that makes everyday with her exciting and fun. I feel privileged, along with the rest of my teammates, to have the opportunity to play with such an awesome person like Lacey Bertucci.........
And we know she will work hard until the cows come home!!!!
HEATHER BOBBITT by Brooke Mitchell
Heather Bobbitt. When I think of that name, I think of a beautiful girl with a huge heart for others and the game of softball. I am personally very proud of her for what she has done this fall and is going to do with the rest of her career at UL. She is one of the hardest workers that I have ever met and when she makes a mistake she makes sure that she knows what she did and what she needs to do to correct it. She is an amazing girl.
There are two quotes I will challenge Heather with. The first is one that Lisa Fernandez always says, "NEVER BE SATISFIED." Heather, never be content with where you are. You can always be better and know more. The second quote is, "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." I am a strong believer in this because I think every person on our team has overcome obstacles to be playing at the collegiate level. What I'm really saying is that it does not matter what people say or think (especially the NAYSAYERS), all that matters is your will power to get it done. And if you believe you can do it and work hard, YOU WILL DO IT.
I love ya girl! God has you here for a reason and HE is going do awesome things through you.
DESI CHATMAN by Crystal George
We have been playing ball together since we were kids, and for as long as I have known her, she has always been a true competitor, fighter and somebody that if I was going to war with, that I would want on my side, and to have my back.
Desi graduated from Comeaux HS and is known throughout this area, not just for softball, but for many other sports as well. Not only was she a 4 year starter for the basketball team at Comeaux, but she also holds the state high school record in track for throwing the discus and the shot put. And as if that isn't enough, she also graduated as an honor student, practically making all A's in her high school career. She is just an all-around great person, from a great family, who is fun being around.
Desi has tremendous power and athletic ability. If you have seen this girl hit a softball or throw the shot put, you know what I am talking about. I have seen Desi hit some bombs. She has home run power. She is intimidating to pitchers - some pitchers are just flat out scared to pitch to her. I can remember playing summer ball in a national tournament in Beaumont and Desi had about 7 homeruns in about 6 games. She was on a streak - if she did not hit a homerun it was probably because they intentionally walked her because the pitcher didn't want any part of her (that's my girl Des!!!).
All of this success does not come easily. Desi is a very hard worker and will stay out at the field until she gets it right -- no matter how long it takes. She is very dedicated and committed and will not give up until she gets the results she is looking for. She will just fight and fight and fight and give everything her best effort -- no matter what.
Desi is a true friend and is very loyal and unselfish and a very giving person. She always puts others in front of herself. She will go out of her way to help others, without even complaining or thinking twice about it. She is one person that I am very lucky and proud to say that she is my friend!
CHRISTINE COLLINS by Michelle Bergeaux
Does the name "Christine Collins" ring a bell when it comes to the subjects of academics and athletics? Well, it should. She is a full-blooded "TOR" from Sulphur High School. She graduated suma cum laude (that means she is very smart). Have you ever had a show-dog that always is performing on and off of the stage? They love to perform. That is Christine. She loves to perform and put on a show. She makes some of the best diving catches I've seen. When she is not playing, she is practicing; when she is not testing, she is studying. She has a great work ethic and she is a great people-person.
She and I have had many conversations ranging from personal experiences to attitudes to work ethic to softball. I have had the privilege and opportunity to play against her and with her. I sure am glad that I will be with her for the next 4 years. She has an attitude like no other. She is always looking for ways to make herself and others better. During our conversations, she always makes me think --- she makes me look a situation or a circumstance in a new or better way. We were talking one day about how we could make ourselves better both individually and for the TEAM. She told me a story about never settling for less than the best and always sending the message to get better and always pushing to the maximum ability. I starting thinking differently -- I wanted my mental focus to change. What I am trying to say is that Christine influenced me to change my way of thinking and I believe and know in my heart that she will bring this kind of inspiration to our team - both through her actions and her words.
Our team strives for excellence in both softball and school. We challenge each other to be leaders -- to help push each other to achieve our goals. The Lady Cajuns will benefit from Christine's skills on the field, her attitude about life and her excellent communication skills and her "smarts". It's not easy being young and smart and athletic -- but Christine is all of these.
Christine, like all the freshmen, are being tested to see if they got what it takes to be a Lady Cajun. Will they accept the challenge to get better everyday or be satisfied with where they are or quit? Christine believes; trust me, she believes.
Help support the Lady Cajuns this season -- come on the journey with us -- it will knock your socks off!!!!
HILLARY GUIDRY by Tiffany Hebert
Hillary is from Berwick, LA and is the daughter of Ralph and Donna Guidry. I have been knowing Hillary since I was a junior in high school and she was a freshman at Berwick HS. If you do not know, Teurlings (where I went to high school) and Berwick are big rivals. We played each other in softball about 6 times a season. We knew each others names, positions, batting and throwing styles and even favorite color by the end of the season. When we played, it was always a close game, but Teurlings usually won. Of course! Well, at least, until I graduated. The first time I actually met Hillary was at the UL baseball field during my senior year for an All-Acadiana picture. She was really outgoing and friendly, and had a confidence about her that left you with a sense of a winner. Being a pitcher in high school, which Hillary was, is all about having command of the game every time you take the mound. Half of being successful is believing you are the best at what you do. Confidence is the companion of success, and that is the feeling she gave off on the mound. In her senior season, she helped lead Berwick to the 3A State Championship. She shut-out the Teurlings Lady Rebels who were offensively potent. O.K. - they got lucky.
Hillary was a late addition, signing at the end of the summer of 2003, to the Lady Cajuns. In the fall, Hillary saw a lot of time in right field. The speedy slapper showed she had a little power too. She hit a couple of homeruns in the Beaumont tournament and hit in the lead-off slot in Spring Klein. I think Hillary's confidence in her abilities and her commitment to preparing for success will be a great asset to the Lady Cajuns. I am happy we are finally both on the same team.
Advice to the class of 2003....
--Set goals and attain them. "If you do not set goals, you cannnot regret not reaching them." --Yogi Berra
--Whatever task you take part in, do it with all your heart and soul.
--Always be positive, never be discouraged.
--Do not blame anybody for your mistakes and failures.
--Do not look for approval except the consciousness of doing your best.
"The toughest thing about success is that you've got to keep on being a success. Talent is only a starting point in business. You've got to keep working that talent." ---- Irving Berlin
HOLLY TANKERSLEY by Brittany Bryant
Holly is the daughter of Johnny and Betty Jo Tankersley and the sister of Hope and Josh. She is a gifted athlete out of Kirbyville, TX. Holly led her high school to the 3A state finals, and with dominating pitching and batting she won a State Championship.
I had the privilege to spend my life with Holly and her family since she was 12. We played summer ball together for a couple of years, sharing many experiences and building an everlasting friendship. Holly has always been a competitor and a major threat on the field. Sometimes I wonder if she knows how gifted of an athlete she is and how natural softball comes to her. In my eyes, she is the girl you want the ball to be hit to, the pitcher that makes the final out, or to get that one winning hit. She's a fighter and I believe has the potential to be one of the best in the country.
Although Holly may be a "tough" person when it comes to softball, I found out by growing up with her that she has a soft side as well. It isn't easy leaving home (family and friends) and for Holly this was no different. I'm so glad we grew up together so when she got here, she had someone to talk to about being homesick. We spent many days/nights talking about life here in Lafayette compared to Kirbyville. I would tell her repeatedly, "I'm not going to let you leave!" So, after a couple of rough weeks, I thought nothing I could say would make her realize what a great opportunity she has, she came up to me and said, "Brittany, your wish came true." When it finally registered what she was saying, I ran to her and gave her the biggest hug. We just looked at each other and smiled. To this day she seems like a completely different person then when she first arrived.
After going through this with Holly, I have realized that life is just is just like a puzzle. As children we played those "connect the dots" puzzles. We would trace along the numbers from 1 to 2 to 3... until suddenly a picture appeared. I was unable to see what it was and even as I traced along the numbers, the meaning of the picture often remainned a mystery until the end. The odd thing is, once the picture appeared, it was easy to see the outline and I would wonder why I had not been able to guess it earlier.
Life is a lot like a "connect the dots" puzzle. The direction of our lives takes many turns such as: leaving home leading to new relationships, or lessons learned form bad choices guiding us towards inward reflection, or one causal decision moves us toward an unsuspecting detour, while our purpose in life remains unclear to us. And as we trace along more and more "dots" in our life, what appeared as random events, fall together with profound meaning. Eventullay we get a glimpse of what our future holds.
Maybe it is part of a bigger plan, but what was once a mistake we thought we would regret forever, becomes a lesson that teaches us something about ourselves. A cherished friendship carefully nurtured over the years holds us close when crisis strikes, and the unsuspecting detour leads us safely home. The "dots" connected. I love you Holly and I look forward to sharing more moments with you! I will always be here if you need me.
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SPECIAL. We are blessed. WE have some special girls here, don't you think?
Early signing is this week. Next week, find out about next year's freshmen class.
We are still renewing season tickets. GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY.
We are selling GAMEDAY sponsorships (see the form on this website) and asking for pledges in the HOMERUN GANG (pledge a dollar amount for every homerun hit this season).
Geaux CAJUNS!
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
