Today we spotlight a recent commitment to a Pac-12 program who won’t have far to go when she does step foot on campus… three years from now!

 

Name: MIKAYLA COELHO
Grad Year: 2017
Pos: OF/P/1B
High School: Tracy (Calif.)
GPA: 3.5
Club: Sorcerer 16U
Stats: as a freshman, led her league in four categories: .542 batting average, .888  slugging percentage, 35 RBI and .609 on-base percentage
College: Cal

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StudentSportsSoftball.com: You’ve placed in some top organizations, like the Sorcerers, Grapettes and KG Hitters… how has each stop in your journey helped you become the player you are today?
Mikayla Coelho I have always had good coaches. They all focused on fundamentals, always working to get better and they were all demanding, which helped me get better.

 

SSS.com: The Bears have had success in getting other top players from the Sorcerer organization… is that how they saw you?  Do you remember the first time they noticed you and how you came to their attention?
MC: Coach [Tammy] Lohmann had been to some tournaments we played in last year, then I went to a camp last summer and things really clicked for me there.

 

SSS.com:  Did they tell you what led to them offering you at this point?  What did they like about your game?
MC: I was told they liked my athleticism. Coach [Diane] Ninemire said she liked my versatility, being a left-handed pitcher, and that I can play outfield and first base.

 

SSS.com: You were offered on Friday, April 25 and committed two days later… what led to the fast decision?
MC:  I loved Cal from the first time I went there when I was eight years old.  It was an easy decision. I had visited several schools, so I was kind of prepared for this. Cal has so many positives: it is a top academic school, I love the coaches, the softball program is great, it’s Pac-12 and I’ll be close to family and friends.

 

SSS.com: How did you tell the coaches, in person, on the phone… were you still on an unofficial visit?
MC: I went to the Cal/UCLA game and accepted face-to-face with Coach Ninemire.

 

SSS.com: Describe your emotions around telling them, were you more nervous or more excited?
MC: I was more excited. It was amazing to be on that field where I had watched games since I was eight and I was about to tell Coach that I accepted her offer to be a student-athlete at Cal. It was unreal.

 

SSS.com: Has it sunk in that you’re going to be playing at a Pac-12 school against the likes of national powers like Arizona, ASU, UCLA, Stanford, Washington, etc.?
MC: Not really. Some of my past and current team mates will be on those teams and girls that I play against now, so It should be fun and very competitive, like it always is.

 

SSS.com:  What do you think (or have others said) are your strengths as a softball player?
MC:  Hopefully others have said that I’m a good teammate and I love to have fun while I’m playing, whether at practice or in games. As far as what I think my strengths are, being able to do what my coach asks me to do, most of the time, and sometimes more.

 

SSS.com: You also have a strong soccer background… are you going to try to continue or are you focusing solely on softball now?
MC: Softball is my priority. My soccer days are over.

 

SSS.com: What’s been a top memory or two for you in your softball career?
MC: Last year at a Cal camp when Coach Ninemire told me that I could possibly play for Cal. Our great run at PGF Nationals last year was awesome also.

 

Quick Hitters

 

What do you want to major in once you hit Berkeley?
Business.

Fill in the blank… the best part about being an athlete is:
The opportunities you get through sports.

What do you think is the No. 1 issue in the world today?
Overpopulation.

Favorite food: 
Meat.

Least favorite food:
Cottage Cheese.

Thing you wouldn’t be caught dead doing:
Not sure about that one!

What’s your dream vacation?
A beautiful lake, a boat and a lot of food.

What type of bat do you use (and why do you like it)?
Easton Synergy. It just seems to work well for me.

What’s better for you in your opinion: pitching a 12 K shutout or going 3-4 with a  home run (and why)?
A 12 K shutout. It’s a guaranteed win!

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
I ride a unicycle.

How would your friends describe you in one word?
Goofy.

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take one thing with you, what would it be?
Sunglasses.

What’s playing in your headphones/ear buds today?
Country.

What makes you unique?
Me being me. Everyone is unique.

If you could change one thing about the sport of softball, what would it be? 
Million dollar professional contracts for women.