#Team26 Newcomer Q&A: Ally Shipman
2/6/2022 1:06:00 PM | Softball
Senior – Catcher – Valencia, Calif. – Valencia High School/University of Tennessee
Ally Shipman Bio Page
How did you get your start in softball?
"My older sister Madison played so I grew up watching her. My dad played baseball and so did my brother so I was always around the ball field. When my sister started playing in college that's when I started getting serious about it. I remember we were at Tennessee watching her play and my dad asked me if I really wanted to play softball. My sister was like my hero, so after watching her I knew that's what I wanted to do."
Were you playing any other sports?
"I did some cheerleading when my brother played football, which was interesting because I was always way taller than everybody there. I did gymnastics but the coach told me I was going to be too tall for that too. I ended up with softball pretty young and stuck with it."
When did it become a more serious pursuit?
"I think when I was about 11 or 12 I realized it was something I could take to the next level and potentially get a scholarship out of it. Back then recruiting started so early so I was getting letters from schools and started taking visits. Watching my sister go through the process and play on the big stage at the World Series really motivated me to want to do that. In seventh grade UCLA sent a letter to my junior high school. I remember getting called up to my teacher's office and she gave me the letter. I opened it and remember being so excited and running home to show my parents and I think that was the moment where I knew I could really do this."
What did you learn from your older sister's recruiting process that helped you in your own journey?
"I went on a lot of visits with her. It was really cool watching her go through it. Having her guidance helped me a lot when I started going through it later in life too."
With Madison's success in college, was Tennessee a forgone conclusion for you or were you looking at other schools?
"I went to a ton of schools. I really tried my hardest not to pick Tennessee because I didn't want to just follow in her footsteps. After visiting there at the time though it felt comfortable and I knew my sister was going to be there in the area so I would have family with me. The stars kind of aligned with that."
How did battling through a season-ending injury so early in your college career affect your perspective?
"Honestly it was a blessing in disguise. It was really difficult at the time but it forced me to push through and overcome and realize that I'm more capable than I thought I was. Being able to see the game through a different perspective, more from a coach's point of view, I learned a lot about my leadership skills because I couldn't just rely on what I did on the field. I had to use my voice and open up and help the girls through that season. Especially as a freshman, it's such a big year as a learning curve and it really set me up for an attitude of gratitude and taught me how to be a leader on and off the field."
When you decided to enter the portal, what was your perspective this time around in when deciding the right fit for you?
"I was 20 times more mature this time around. I was looking at culture and atmosphere, a lot of things I wasn't paying attention to before. How the coaches interact with the players and how the players interact with each other. When you're 12 or 13 looking at schools, you are just looking for shiny and new things. Now I really took a deep look into the program itself and it's more about being happy than the gear you get or stuff like that. It was about the people."
What about Alabama checked those boxes off for you?
"Definitely the people. If you even come near this program, you can just feel the family atmosphere. When they talk about 'mudita' that is something serious that is embedded in the culture. Being here is an experience unlike I've ever had before. I didn't think I could enjoy playing softball as much as I do every day and that's because of the people."
How has the transition been so far getting to know a whole new group of people?
"I was definitely nervous at the beginning but coming in with another transfer Ashely [Prange] was awesome. I remember texting her on the first day of class asking if she wanted to go find our classes together. Having a buddy to go through it with was great. The coaches and the girls have all been so welcoming and that just made life ten times easier."
What was it like putting on the Alabama uniform for the first time this fall?
"It was like freshman year all over again. You're excited and nervous but I also felt a sense of relief. When I looked at myself in the uniform I was happy. I loved it and knew I was playing for a program I really loved. That took a huge weight off my shoulders."
What are your individual and team goals for this season?
"Obviously the number one goal is to win the national title. We want to win a natty and SEC titles. For me I just want to support my team however I can. Whether it's on the field or off the field I want to be a team player. I want to push us towards the team goal."
What is your advice to young girls who wants to play college softball or even a current college player who may be thinking about transferring?
"When it comes to your mental health and your happiness, the transfer portal isn't just an easy way out. People tend to look at the transfer portal as an escape route when things get hard. However, if you're unhappy where you're at, you only have four years of this. There's no point spending those years somewhere where you're unhappy. Go somewhere where you're going to thrive because you want to enjoy every second of it."
