Athletically Speaking With Julia Echols
June 19, 2014 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – With the summer travel softball season in full swing, Mississippi State's student-athletes spent some time with HailState.com to discuss their starts in softball.
Julia Echols turned in a breakout season in 2014, ranking second on the squad in batting average (.322), on-base percentage (.431) and hit by pitches (16). The McDonough, Ga., native was on fire at the end of the season, hitting a team-best .538 (14-for-26) during the year's final 10 games. She tied for the team lead during the NCAA Tournament with a .429 average (three-for-seven) and paced the squad with a .556 on-base percentage.
Q: How did you get started in softball?
A: I got into softball through my brother's baseball team, which my dad coached. I caught for my brother and played a little outfield and third base. I was about 9 years old at the time.
After a few years, my parents decided it was time for me to start playing with girls, so I joined a rec league with a team called the Fireballs. We were terrible at first. But the following year we added a few better players and this pitcher named Alison Owen [the pair would later play together at the Unviersity of Georgia and Mississippi State University]. We decided to call ourselves the GA Impact.
Our coach ended up making an organization out of it as we got more and more teams. I ended up sticking with the group for the majority of my travel ball career.
Q: What was your first team's name?
A: The first Little League baseball team I played on was the Giants.
Q: What are some of your routines/superstitions on game day or during games?
A: They are constantly changing. I'd say I'm just about as bad as anybody when it comes to superstitions. You just kind of have to find something that's working for you and stick with it.
Some of mine this past season were: showering right before every game, looking down at my imaginary wrist band to get the sign before stepping in the box, keeping a cereal charm necklace in my back left pocket, warming up in a certain pair of batting gloves and then wearing my lucky pair for the games, and talking to my bat on deck.
Q: What is your favorite softball memory?
A: My favorite softball memory is winning the high school state championship my freshman year (as MAJOR underdogs). It was the first title in school history.
Q: If you could change one thing about softball, what would it be and why?
A: If I could change anything, I would allow leading off the bases. I think running bases is a skill many people take for granted. It's one of my favorite aspects of the game. But in my opinion, not being able to lead off (like in baseball) takes away from the art of it.
Q: I wear my uniform number because:
A: I chose No. 6 because my favorite Bible verses are Philippians 2:5-11. Verse six in particular is very powerful to me.
I love the way it depicts Christ's humility, and is something I wish to mimic in my softball career and in life. I have the verse written on my glove to remind me of that every time I step on the field.
