#Team26 Newcomer Q&A: Jordan Stephens
2/10/2022 12:00:00 PM | Softball
Freshman - Outfield - Tampa, Fla. - Robinson High School
Jordan Stephens Bio Page
How did you get your start in softball?
"I was around 8 years old and I had tried soccer and volleyball but started softball because my dad played baseball in college and my mom played softball growing up. There was a league walking distance from my house, so my parents asked if I wanted to try it and that was how I got started. I got a little bit later of a start than everyone else since I started when I was 8 years old but I instantly fell in love with it. To me, it was because I could never be perfect at it. It is such a game of failure and it led me and pushed me to always want to be better."
Was there any specific moment you knew the goal of playing in college could be a reality?
"I was behind. A lot of teammates talked about how they started looking at schools when they were in seventh grade and that wasn't the case for me. I played little league until I was 14. There was decent softball in my area, so the competition was good. My eighth grade year we made it to the southeast region for the little league world series, and after that my dad sat me down and was like, 'do you really want to do this?' He said it's now or never, we are either going to go down the path where we try and get you recruited or you can play for fun in high school. After that I tried out for this competitive team and made it and then sat the bench all fall. I got maybe three at-bats the whole season. It made me want to work so much harder and harder. I grew up in Florida, when I saw UF win the World Series in 2014, that is the first recollection I have of wanting to play in college. I idolized those girls."
Once you took that next step, what was important to you when you started looking at schools?
"I was very open. My recruiting process was very late, I didn't even commit here until a month before I signed. With me, I was the year of the rule change and covid so it just bumped everything back. I knew I would come in with a ton of credits, so I was looking at Ivy Leagues for a little bit but I knew that I wanted to play softball at the highest level possible and a school like that wouldn't necessarily get me where I wanted to be softball-wise. The family, the atmosphere - I wanted a place that would feel like home. Some of the places I looked at had parts of that, I would love the softball and the coaches, but not the school or vice-versa. I was trying to find that perfect fit."
How did Alabama come into the picture?
"I only saw campus once before I committed. It was fall of my junior year and my dad took me to a bunch of camps that fall. I didn't have a dream school in mind, I was looking everywhere. I signed up for a camp here, we came for a three-hour hitting camp on a Monday night. It was a rainy, nasty day in November. I remember driving around campus and thinking that the school was gorgeous, and that's when it started to click for me. I walked in the door and said hi to Murph and went through the camp and got to meet Kaylee [Tow] and Jenna [Johnson]. I remember walking out and looking at my dad and saying, 'this is it, this is where I want to go.' I had searched for so long and found different parts other places but once I was here, I knew."
Was it a relief when you committed or did you feel added pressure?
"After I committed, it was a huge relief. Because of covid, my recruiting process got pushed back and was extremely slow. For that next summer, it was completely video and almost no contact. I was terrified and started saying no to other schools because I was just hoping and thinking of coming to play here. That was really stressful, so committing was a big relief. The day before Murph offered me, I said no to a school because I was just hoping and praying for UA, so it was definitely a big relief. None of the other schools lived up to this one. I would have felt like I didn't work hard enough or reached my full potential if I didn't end up here. The pressure didn't really bother me, I was just so excited and thought it was time to get to work."
How has the transition been to life as a student-athlete in college?
"It is definitely a big difference being out of state. I am from a big city, so it's definitely scaled down a little bit by coming to Tuscaloosa. I went from my family in Florida to a brand new one here that is even bigger. I have no complaints about the process because I've had so many supportive people around me. I can text upperclassmen with questions and then having such a big class of newcomers has been nice too. We all just gel together and fit in sync. Having such a big group of newcomers makes it easier to reach out and ask questions because we know we aren't alone."
How did you feel putting on the uniform for the first time?
"I remember that day so well, I had tears in my eyes and just thought to myself, 'I did it.' I think it meant so much especially because it had taken me so long to get here and commit. Being able to see the BAMA on my chest finally, it was surreal. My inner eight-year-old's jaw dropped. It was a really cool moment to think back to 10 years ago and just to think that I became who I looked up to at 10."
What are your individual and team goals for the season?
"Our team goal is to have a handful of rings this year. Individually, I want to get 1% better every day. I want to do everything for my team, whether its charting or picking pitches in the dugout or whether it's performing on the field. The biggest impact I can have is making sure I am working to get better every single day so that I can one day produce on the field."
What is your advice to young girls who wants to play college softball?
"Do not give up. If you want it, go get it. There is no excuse. Emails were big for me. I was constantly contacting the coaches at the schools I was interested in. Set yourself apart with who you are. Make sure the coaches know who you are, they want to see your heart and your passion for the game. Once you get to a certain level, everyone can play. Make sure to set yourself apart and show who you are deep down. Know that it'll come when it comes and trust the process. Enjoy it all and have a ton of energy and heart while you still have the game."
