Thies sisters: together now… & in the future (4/15)
Thies sisters: together now… & in the future (4/15)
Softball talent often runs in families as younger siblings follow in the talented footsteps of an older sister.
Sometimes the younger player chooses to chart her own path when it comes to going to college—we saw this in recently as two Hot 100 players–outstanding 2018 infielder Anna Vines committed to UCLA after her 2015 outfielder sister Brooke signed with Tennessee last November.
Frequently, though, the related players chose to continue together when picking a college and that’s what happened recently as two So Cal sisters both decided they want to be playing on the field together for years to come!
Cali Thies is a 2016 outfielder on the OC Batbusters-Lara team and is one year ahead of her young sister, Riley, who plays catcher and the outfield as well.
Both sisters are headed to Towson in Baltimore, Md. and a member of the Colonial Athletic Association. In this Q&A with Full Count tell us why they’re sticking together now and in the future…
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FullCountSoftball.com: How did you both end up going to school together?
Cali Thies: We both wanted to play D1 softball and we are so close in age but we play different positions so we thought it would be special to play with each other for three more years after high school. We never planned on going to college together… we just got lucky!
FCS.com: How did Towson end up being the choice in the recruiting process?
Riley Thies: Towson was following us for a while and watching our games so we thought we should go visit the campus and see what they’re about. We loved everything about the school, coaches, teammates, and campus, and couldn’t find anything bad about it. We knew it was a good fit for us when we were told how much we were wanted on the team because we want to be somewhere where we are wanted.
FCS.com: You have younger siblings… are the others athletes too?
Cali: We have another sister, Teah, who plays on the Batbusters-Briggs 16U team and she’s a 2018 graduate. Teah playsvarsity with us at Laguna Hills (Calif.) High School. We also have a younger sister, Lilah, but she doesn’t play softball. Last is our baby brother who is one year old named Coulter. He is a fun little guy and you will see him running around the fields cheering!
FCS.com: Riley, tell us about your softball beginnings and some of your favorite experiences…
Riley: I played my very first softball game when I was seven years old with Cali. It was a few years later when I played on a 14U Batbuster team in 2011-2012 when I knew I wanted to play competitive softball. That is the year I heard about people receiving scholarships to college for playing softball and I decided that that’s what I wanted.
FCS.com: What’s it like playing for a high-profile, well-respected organization like the Batbusters?
Riley: I am so thankful I have had the opportunity to be a part of the Batbuster organization for three years, and I look forward to more to come. I’ve had so much help and support from Clay Lara, Chris Portessi, Kim Johnston, Ken Briggs, and Mike Stith in the Batbuster organization.
Cali: I am so lucky to be a part of Batbusters softball because they helped so much with the recruiting process and made me into the player I am today.
FCS.com: What’s it been like to have always looked across the field and see your sister playing on your team?
Cali: I started playing softball at Laguna Niguel Girls softball when I was eight years old. Riley and I were on the same team so it was always normal for us to be together. We loved the game and decided to keep playing in the fall. We kept going and going every season until we wanted to take softball more seriously so we went to travel ball to get college exposure.
FCS.com: Any concerns about going cross-country to play away from your California roots or will be playing with your sister make it not so difficult?
Riley: I started off looking at only schools on the West Coast. I was raised by two surfers and have been surfing for as long as I can remember; I didn’t want to go far so going to the East Coast for four years is a huge commitment for me, byt my weekend visit with Coached Costello, Steets and Plimpton made me feel fortunate to be receiving a college education at Towson University. I thought about it a lot and I’m happy with my decision to make Towson my home because I get to experience new things and end my softball career with Cali.
Cali: I feel like I have found a home in Towson and I’m so glad I chose this school. Riley and I have played on so many teams and met so many great people along the way. If it weren’t for softball, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. The game has taught me so many life lessons. I can’t wait to play college softball with my sister by my side. I started loving the game with her and I’m so happy yet sad to end it with her as well.