Foundation Academy softball poised for success next season

The Foundation Academy softball team made history for the second consecutive year. And, with only one senior on the team, the Lions proved — once more — age is just a number. 

The Lady Lions advanced all the way to the state semifinals, where they fell to state champion University Christian 11-0 Monday, May 22. 

“We made double history,” senior first baseman and utility Jenna Taylor, 18, said. “The way we put God first in this and put others before us blessed this season to go way forward. The relationships are definitely going to be missed, but having that memory of everyone knowing that we put others before our games, especially God, it’s what is going to stay with us.” 

“It’s great to be a part of this team,” second base and pitcher Tinsley Fisher, 12, said. “It’s great to just have so many relationships and go through so many cool experiences.”

Taylor — the lone senior — made the choice to play in the regional semifinal game instead of going to her graduation ceremony. Alongside her teammates, she defeated Orlando Christian Prep 17-7 Friday, May 19.

“The excitement was just extremely there that game,” she said. “To know that we were selfless, we got rewarded with (the win). It was an extremely exciting game, and that’s the game where I graduated on, so we did a little graduation ceremony, so that’s awesome. That game was really special to all of us.” 

Last year, the team advanced to the regional championship game for the first time. However, the girls fell to Mount Dora Christian Academy 8-6. 

With an extremely young team this year — a couple of middle-schoolers and mostly underclassmen — the Lady Lions have begun to make a name for themselves.

Photo by Andrea Mujica

“We knew that we had to put more work than we did last year, and we did just that,” head softball coach Tate McClellan said. “No one really is at practice with us other than me and my coaches and the girls, and (no one) really sees the amount of work that we put in.”

Expectations for the Lady Lions are now higher than ever before for upcoming seasons. 

“Obviously, we hope that we can make it back to the Final Four,” McClellan said. “I believe that they can, and now I think they do, too.” 

DO IT FOR DAVE

For the last couple of years, Dave Odom — lifelong friend of assistant softball coach Armand Winters — has attended the games, usually arriving by bicycle. 

“I grew up with Dave; we played in a heavy metal band together,” Winters said. “I told the girls, ‘In life, when we get to the pitchfork on the road, you have to choose the path you are going to continue on. Dave always chose the dirt road, because it was more fun, and he ended up stuck.’ The girls, they are his tow truck.” 

Despite Odom’s constant appearances at the games between Foundation and OCP over the years — because he lives around the OCP area — it wasn’t until this year that the girls formed a connection with him, and the motto “Do it for Dave” became their constant motivation this season.

“His bike ended up getting stolen, and he doesn’t have a car, so that’s how he gets places,” Taylor said. “So he would ride to our OCP games and different games (this season) with his bike — no matter how far those would be (from him). So, when he didn’t have transportation to our games, he got really sad.” 

When the girls found out that Odom’s bike had been stolen, they all rallied up and made the trip to the nearest Target — on a rainy afternoon after practice got cancelled — and got him a new bicycle.” 

Courtesy photo

“We all went as a team, and we picked out a bike for him,” shortstop and right fielder Sophia Smith said. “All the parents donated money; it was really fun and special.” 

The girls planned to gift Odom the new bicycle and a signed Bible during the game against Orlando Christian Prep — that is, if they defeated Cornerstone Charter Academy in the regional semifinal. 

“They had always beat us,” Smith said. “We’ve never beat them, so going into that game, (we) just wanted to prove everyone that we weren’t easy work and we did prove that to everyone.”

After the 7-5 win — in extra innings — against Cornerstone, the girls were ready to gift Odom with their gifts regardless of if they won or lost to OCP. 

“One of Riley Winter’s teachers — after she told him the story — gave her a Bible from school, and all the girls wrote a Bible verse and signed the Bible for Dave,” Winters said. “It’s made a big difference in his life.” 

When the girls wrote their verses on the Bible, they chose to verses that represents each and every one of them. According to Smith, Odom has chosen one, too. 

“The next time I saw him, he said that he had found a verse of his own,” she said. “That was really special for me, because that’s hard to do, especially just reading the Bible in general, because it’s very difficult to read since it’s not a book that you would just pick up in a library. I was very happy for him.”