Softball Newcomer Q&A: Skylar Wallace
1/25/2019 1:13:00 PM | Softball
We will be posting Q&A's with each of the seven newcomers on this year's Alabama softball team heading into the 2019 season. The fourth is with freshman Skylar Wallace, a top-rated recruit from Woodstock, Ga., who won at PGF Nationals with Georgia Impact last summer and was recently selected to the 2019 U.S. Women's Junior National Team roster.
How did you get your start playing softball?
"My mom's younger sister was still playing when I was young so I would always be around during her travel ball games and was around the park the whole time. My grandfather was a coach for a team and I started getting into it being around the game all the time. I started playing tee-ball when I was five. I also did gymnastics and soccer but softball was what I enjoyed the most."
When did you realize you could potentially take softball to the next level?
"Probably when I was around nine and I started playing in competitive travel ball with my dad as my coach. Eventually I moved on to an elite travel ball team in Georgia Impact. Playing in college really became a goal the summer before I started high school. Playing in the college showcases, a lot of coaches would come to watch us play. I realized that I had a real chance to play in college if I kept working and getting better."
What was your criteria early on while putting together a list of colleges you were interested in?
"I knew I wanted to play in the SEC, but I had looked at other schools too. At first, I really didn't care where the school was but, eventually, I realized I wanted to stay a little closer to home. I made a pros and cons list of what I wanted from a school. Good facilities were important, I wanted it to feel like home, I wanted to connect with the coaches and I wanted a family atmosphere."
When did Alabama come into the picture?
"It was one of my top three during my freshman year. After Christmas break of that year, I knew it was the right place just based on my contact with the coaches and what I had experienced during my visits there. Alabama was really impressive. The weight room, the field, everything is great. We're spoiled here. I felt like I could talk to the coaches about anything, even stuff on a personal level and not just softball."
When did you decide on Alabama?
"I really liked it but I made a decision before my recruiting process to look at all the schools before I narrowed it down. I came on three visits before I committed, but I knew after my second one that this was the place. I got everything I wanted at Alabama, plus I would have a chance to play infield which was where I really wanted to play."
Committing as a freshman, was there a sense of relief to get that process out of the way or was there added pressure to play to a certain standard?
"It felt good to be committed and get that out of the way, but at the same time I really felt like I needed to get better and prove to everyone why I got the opportunity to play at Alabama."
How has the acclimation process to college life been so far?
"On the field it's a lot more work. The intensity and expectations of practice and executing that every day is tough. Off the field, I've had to learn a lot more time management skills with the busy softball schedule we have. Even if it's just 30 minutes or an hour before practice and I know I'm going to be tired after practice, I'm going to sit down and get it done rather than wait."
What was it like to step on the field wearing the Alabama uniform for the first time this fall?
"It was a mix of emotions. I was excited to finally be there, wear the uniform and play on the field in front of the fans in the stands. At the same time it was kind of nerve-wracking, especially the first time I stepped into the box. Nerves started kicking in. No one here had seen me play so I felt like I had to prove myself. I took a mental timeout and had to relax and remind myself that it was just the fall, I was going to be fine and to just do my thing and it would come naturally."
What are your goals for this season, both individually and as a team?
"We want to win the SEC and go to Oklahoma City and give ourselves the best chance possible to win the national championship. Individually, I would like a high on-base percentage and batting average. I don't really have a specific number in mind. I don't want to make any errors in the field and be smart on defense."
What advice would you give to young aspiring softball players?
"Always work hard and give it everything you have. You can always be better than you were the day before. When you have the choice to do something else like go to a birthday party or get better, choose to get better. You're going to have plenty of other parties to go to after college but you might regret not putting that extra work in to make your dream come true."
