Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Better Because Of Brazil
November 11, 2022 | Softball
STARKVILLE – There's been plenty of publicity surrounding Mia Davidson-Smith's selection to the United States' Women's National Team roster over the summer. But while Davidson-Smith heads to Guatemala this week for her first games with the national team, another Bulldog was almost on the road with her.
Gabby Coffey, a freshman from Celina, Texas, has utilized her dual citizenship to play for the Brazilian national team in two international events already. She was slated to head to Guatemala this fall before an injury sidelined her for the semester.
Coffey's international experience began in the summer of 2019. After submitting some scouting film to the national governing body in her father's home country, she opted to spend her summer break training in Brazil. She had missed the national team tryouts, but this was an opportunity to make up for that.
"They had had tryouts, but I was still in school," she explained. "I would already be missing enough school for the World Cup so I couldn't necessarily go."
The training sessions were an eye-opener for Coffey. She traveled across the country for practices and workouts. The equipment, funding and support levels were drastically different from what she'd experienced in the U.S. But the biggest challenge was also one of the most obvious.
"It was a struggle not speaking any Portuguese," Coffey said. "That is what makes it a little more challenging playing for them because only a few players know English."
The team doctor spoke English and quickly took on the role of translator. Coffey relied on him for nearly every conversation. Even the head coach could only speak to her in his own native tongue.
"It changes everything," Coffey said. "You learn just enough to get by, but it makes it a lot more challenging. When you talk on the field here in the U.S., you want to communicate that same way there, but it almost feels useless because they may not understand it."
She learned the basics. She could call out the bases or call for a pop fly, but otherwise the language was a true barrier.
The Brazilian team actually returned to Coffey's home country for competition that summer, playing at the U-19 Women's World Cup in Irvine, California. She was 5-for-15 with a triple and two RBIs in the six games they played. She missed the first two weeks of school.
"Because of that, I had to actually had to reenroll into high school," she said. "This last year, luckily, it overlapped with Thanksgiving break, so I only missed a week of school. But that was the week before finals."
That's right, Coffey was called upon again in 2021. This time it was a trip to Colombia for the Junior Pan American Games. She played six more games, her best being a 7-0 win against Venezuela where she collected a single, a double and a pair of walks. She also collected two hits in two games against the host nation.
She learned plenty throughout the process that she's bringing with her to Starkville.
"It very much taught time management, trying to get ahead and communicating with teachers," Coffey said. "A lot of the coaching was more going on your own. They taught you the drills, defenses and strategies, but if you wanted anything else, you did it on your own."
The new Bulldog catcher was given the freedom to call pitches when she returned to her high school squad. It taught her a new mental side of the game she hadn't noticed before. Being sidelined with an injury made her focus on that side of her game even more as she searched for a way she could still help her team from the dugout.
"I was watching the teams we're playing against and then learning how to do the book," she said. "I noticed pitch sequences that are tendencies for the other teams that we may face later in the year in playoffs. I really had to focus and watch film on a batter's swing and know the situation."
It all prepared her for her first college semester, even when she wasn't on the field.
Gabby Coffey, a freshman from Celina, Texas, has utilized her dual citizenship to play for the Brazilian national team in two international events already. She was slated to head to Guatemala this fall before an injury sidelined her for the semester.
Coffey's international experience began in the summer of 2019. After submitting some scouting film to the national governing body in her father's home country, she opted to spend her summer break training in Brazil. She had missed the national team tryouts, but this was an opportunity to make up for that.
"They had had tryouts, but I was still in school," she explained. "I would already be missing enough school for the World Cup so I couldn't necessarily go."
The training sessions were an eye-opener for Coffey. She traveled across the country for practices and workouts. The equipment, funding and support levels were drastically different from what she'd experienced in the U.S. But the biggest challenge was also one of the most obvious.
"It was a struggle not speaking any Portuguese," Coffey said. "That is what makes it a little more challenging playing for them because only a few players know English."
The team doctor spoke English and quickly took on the role of translator. Coffey relied on him for nearly every conversation. Even the head coach could only speak to her in his own native tongue.
"It changes everything," Coffey said. "You learn just enough to get by, but it makes it a lot more challenging. When you talk on the field here in the U.S., you want to communicate that same way there, but it almost feels useless because they may not understand it."
She learned the basics. She could call out the bases or call for a pop fly, but otherwise the language was a true barrier.
The Brazilian team actually returned to Coffey's home country for competition that summer, playing at the U-19 Women's World Cup in Irvine, California. She was 5-for-15 with a triple and two RBIs in the six games they played. She missed the first two weeks of school.
"Because of that, I had to actually had to reenroll into high school," she said. "This last year, luckily, it overlapped with Thanksgiving break, so I only missed a week of school. But that was the week before finals."
That's right, Coffey was called upon again in 2021. This time it was a trip to Colombia for the Junior Pan American Games. She played six more games, her best being a 7-0 win against Venezuela where she collected a single, a double and a pair of walks. She also collected two hits in two games against the host nation.
She learned plenty throughout the process that she's bringing with her to Starkville.
"It very much taught time management, trying to get ahead and communicating with teachers," Coffey said. "A lot of the coaching was more going on your own. They taught you the drills, defenses and strategies, but if you wanted anything else, you did it on your own."
The new Bulldog catcher was given the freedom to call pitches when she returned to her high school squad. It taught her a new mental side of the game she hadn't noticed before. Being sidelined with an injury made her focus on that side of her game even more as she searched for a way she could still help her team from the dugout.
"I was watching the teams we're playing against and then learning how to do the book," she said. "I noticed pitch sequences that are tendencies for the other teams that we may face later in the year in playoffs. I really had to focus and watch film on a batter's swing and know the situation."
It all prepared her for her first college semester, even when she wasn't on the field.
Players Mentioned
C/INF
/ SoftballSOFTBALL | Postgame Press Conference vs Texas (WCWS) 5/29/26
Friday, May 29
SOFTBALL | Postgame Press Conference at Oklahoma (NCAAT) 5/28/26
Thursday, May 28
SOFTBALL | Women's College World Series Media Day Press Conference
Wednesday, May 27
SOFTBALL | Super Regional at Oklahoma Game 3 Highlights - 5/24/26
Sunday, May 24