Meet the Tide: Caroline Hardy
1/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Alabama welcomes six newcomers to the 2016 team. We will be posting Q&A features with all six leading into the season. Our fourth Q&A is with freshman Caroline Hardy from Vestavia Hills, Ala.
How did you get your start playing softball?
"I was quite the tomboy. I was always running outside and playing around with my sister. My dad was involved with our rec league when I was five. At the time, I wasn't really old enough to play yet but I eventually played 8U. I always played for my dad. I played other sports too, I was really active. Softball was always my favorite sport though, it's what I was best at. I played basketball all though middle school and I really liked it but I stuck to softball when I got to high school."
When did you think that you could take softball to the next level and play collegiately?
"Probably late middle school. I played on varsity when I was in the eighth grade. I decided then that softball was what I wanted to do."
When did the recruiting process start and what were some of the schools that you were looking at?
"I went to the camps at Alabama my whole life and I grew up an Alabama fan. Ever since I was old enough, I started going to camps. I also looked at Mississippi State, Troy and UAB, but I always wanted to go to Alabama. I actually committed on my birthday during my sophomore year."
What were your first impressions, on and off the field, after finally coming to your dream school?
"It was exactly how I thought it was going to be. For some people, the coaches are different when they're recruiting you versus when you get there. Coach Murphy, Aly and the girls are exactly the way they are when they're recruiting you. It's not a show. This is really how it is."
What are some of your goals for your freshman season?
"I really want to be the best that I can be to help the team. I'm not really worried about me because we all know what our goal is: to win the national championship. Whatever I can do to help us get there is what I'm going to do."
What advice would you give a young aspiring softball player?
"Believe in yourself. If you don't believe in yourself, who's going to? If you think you can then you can."
