MORGANTOWN — Heidi Hormell did not start out playing softball, but her transition from baseball came easy.
“I first started playing baseball when I was seven years old but made the complete transition from baseball to softball at 12 years old after playing both simultaneously for two years,” she said. “I started playing softball because I could no longer play baseball due to my age.”
A Morgantown native, Hormell is a 2016 graduate of Morgantown High.
She’s now a junior at Fairmont State University.
So far, Hormell has 60 at bats, seven runs, 17 hits, seven RBIs, and a .283 batting average.
She is looking forward to this coming season for a few different reasons.
“After the momentum we gained last season and the new players we’ve added to the roster, I believe we are going to be dangerous,” she said. “This is also my last eligible season to play since I will be graduating in December of 2019.”
Hormell said playing softball at Fairmont State is different than at MHS, especially with how much busier college life is.
“I have 18 credit hours each semester, 16-22 hours of softball-related obligations per week, an internship that I do through the Fairmont State Foundation, and heading up the University’s FBLA-PBL club,” Hormell said. “Needless to say I’m always on the run.”
She said practices at FSU are more intense, yet individualized to each athlete.
Another aspect of playing softball in college is the travel. The Falcons participated in the Clermont (Fla.) Softball Tournament. Players got to take advantage of some sightseeing opportunities while there.
“While in Florida, we went to Old Town Disney and I got to ride the largest sky coaster in the world with Kaylee (Andersen) and one of our other teammates,” Hormell said. “We also visited TopGolf while in Orlando.
“Clermont has some of the nicest facilities I’ve ever visited and its always great to be able to play there.”
Andersen is another Morgantown native on the Falcons roster. Hormell said it has been great playing with her.
“Being able to play with Kaylee Andersen from middle school all the way to the collegiate level has been nothing short of a blessing,” she said. “She is one of my best friends and it’s been great having her there every step of the way.”
Hormell picked Fairmont State for several reasons.
“I made my final decision to attend Fairmont State University after going on a visit and seeing how nice the campus was,” she said. “It’s very close to home, the campus isn’t too big, the classrooms and resources are great and I couldn’t ask for better instructors.
“I love walking around campus and seeing familiar faces, being able to be as involved as I want on campus, and having the opportunity to learn so much from my instructors in and outside of the classroom.”
Hormell had a busy summer.
“I spent the majority of my summer interning at the Fairmont State Foundation, umpiring tournaments on the weekends, and working with young athletes to improve their skills and knowledge of the game,” she said.
Academics are important to Hormell. She was named to the Spring 2018 MEC (Mountain East Conference) Commissioner’s Honor Roll for having a grade point average of 3.25-3.69. She is majoring in business administration with concentrations in management and economics. She is also working on obtaining her associate’s degree in accounting from Pierpont Community and Technical College.
Following graduation, Hormell hopes to open her own business, combining her love of sports and business to help young athletes reach their highest potential.
Hormell enjoys umpiring softball tournaments and giving softball lessons.
Twitter @KerriKosten.
Email kkosten@dominionpost.com.
