Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
A Summer Steppingstone
September 27, 2022 | Softball
STARKVILLE – Standing in the bullpen at Nusz Park, Josey Marron rocked back and delivered a high pitch, a little too high. As it sailed over the catcher's head, she instinctively started towards the plate to go chase the ball.
"Every time I would throw the ball over my dad's head, he would pretty much always make me go chase it," Marron said. "It's the same with most of my catchers. I just remember going to chase it the first week I was here, and someone said I didn't have to do that. I was like 'Oh okay, this is new.'"
It was the first of many new things she'll adjust to at the college level, but her experience this summer at The Alliance Fastpitch All-Star Game helped prepare her for what's to come.
On July 24, Marron, along with 39 other recently-graduated high school seniors, stepped on the field at Kokomo Municipal Stadium in Indiana. She was rated the No. 17 pitcher in the class by Extra Innings Softball and was set to be called on to pitch in her first major televised competition.
"It was the coolest experience I have ever had on a softball field so far," Marron said. "They really spoiled us. It was raining when I went in to play but besides that getting to play in front of that group and on TV was a lot of fun. There was some stress and pressure leading up to it, but it was cool experience."
The freshman from Grimes, Iowa, admits her family probably did a better job of soaking in the experience than she did. But that seems somewhat appropriate for someone whose softball journey has always been about her family.
Her dad caught her bullpens growing up. Her sisters traveled with the family to her games in the summer. And her mom, a school district employee, defended her decision to play for her travel team in the summer instead of on the high school's roster.
When the players arrived in Indiana, they were met with a catcher's bag full of equipment and gear. There was a media day complete with a photoshoot. Marron brought her Mississippi State flag off the wall of her hometown bedroom. The event organizers handed out GoPro cameras for the players to document their experience for social media. And gameday hadn't even arrived yet.
"The following day we went in, and they had our locker room decked out. Our lockers were filled with even more merch and our uniforms," Marron said. "Just being able to play with the girls that we had played against for so long was cool as well. You get to see everyone in a new light."
Even beyond her family, relationships matter to Marron. And it was her relationship with head coach Samantha Ricketts that stuck out in her recruiting process.
"She has always been person first. On her call, I don't even know if we even talked about softball," Marron said. "It was more just asking about me as a person and getting to know me as a human being before she even scratched the topic of softball. When I came here to visit, I got to talk to a couple of players, and they all said the exact same thing. She is person first. If you aren't doing well as a person, she doesn't care about how you are doing as a player."
That individual connection extended to State's pitching coach Josh Johnson. Johnson is known for utilizing advanced technology in his player development, but the Bulldog staff as a whole embraces flexibility and different approaches for different players.
"I really like the tools he uses," Marron said. "You're never guessing what you are doing wrong. You know what needs to be adjusted. You have the hard evidence right in front of you. Also, for him it isn't much of my way or the highway. It's more like try this adjustment and then let me know how that feels. If that's something you like we will stick with it, but if not, we will work from there."
The focus on student-athletes as individuals, both on and off the field, was attractive to Marron. Her dream job is to become a sport psychologist and address the pressures younger athletes often face as they advance to more competitive levels in their games. She knows the importance of an identity outside of her athletic ability but also the importance of routine and comfort in a new environment.
Going back to her All-Star appearance, Marron was keeping the mental side of the game in mind. She knew it would prepare her for what's to come.
"The All-Star game was still like a steppingstone in a way," she said. "I kept telling myself every time I would get stressed, 'This is preparing me for college.'"
As impressed as she was by her locker in Indiana, there's a locker in Starkville, Mississippi, that means much more.
"The second I walked in, I took a picture and sent it to the family group chat. They were all freaking out about it, and it was cool," Marron said. "When I walked into the locker room here and I saw the locker at the school that I have been counting down the days to go to for however long now, it felt like I had finally accomplished the goal I had been working towards so long. It was kind of like starting a new chapter."
"Every time I would throw the ball over my dad's head, he would pretty much always make me go chase it," Marron said. "It's the same with most of my catchers. I just remember going to chase it the first week I was here, and someone said I didn't have to do that. I was like 'Oh okay, this is new.'"
It was the first of many new things she'll adjust to at the college level, but her experience this summer at The Alliance Fastpitch All-Star Game helped prepare her for what's to come.
On July 24, Marron, along with 39 other recently-graduated high school seniors, stepped on the field at Kokomo Municipal Stadium in Indiana. She was rated the No. 17 pitcher in the class by Extra Innings Softball and was set to be called on to pitch in her first major televised competition.
"It was the coolest experience I have ever had on a softball field so far," Marron said. "They really spoiled us. It was raining when I went in to play but besides that getting to play in front of that group and on TV was a lot of fun. There was some stress and pressure leading up to it, but it was cool experience."
The freshman from Grimes, Iowa, admits her family probably did a better job of soaking in the experience than she did. But that seems somewhat appropriate for someone whose softball journey has always been about her family.
Her dad caught her bullpens growing up. Her sisters traveled with the family to her games in the summer. And her mom, a school district employee, defended her decision to play for her travel team in the summer instead of on the high school's roster.
When the players arrived in Indiana, they were met with a catcher's bag full of equipment and gear. There was a media day complete with a photoshoot. Marron brought her Mississippi State flag off the wall of her hometown bedroom. The event organizers handed out GoPro cameras for the players to document their experience for social media. And gameday hadn't even arrived yet.
"The following day we went in, and they had our locker room decked out. Our lockers were filled with even more merch and our uniforms," Marron said. "Just being able to play with the girls that we had played against for so long was cool as well. You get to see everyone in a new light."
Even beyond her family, relationships matter to Marron. And it was her relationship with head coach Samantha Ricketts that stuck out in her recruiting process.
"She has always been person first. On her call, I don't even know if we even talked about softball," Marron said. "It was more just asking about me as a person and getting to know me as a human being before she even scratched the topic of softball. When I came here to visit, I got to talk to a couple of players, and they all said the exact same thing. She is person first. If you aren't doing well as a person, she doesn't care about how you are doing as a player."
That individual connection extended to State's pitching coach Josh Johnson. Johnson is known for utilizing advanced technology in his player development, but the Bulldog staff as a whole embraces flexibility and different approaches for different players.
"I really like the tools he uses," Marron said. "You're never guessing what you are doing wrong. You know what needs to be adjusted. You have the hard evidence right in front of you. Also, for him it isn't much of my way or the highway. It's more like try this adjustment and then let me know how that feels. If that's something you like we will stick with it, but if not, we will work from there."
The focus on student-athletes as individuals, both on and off the field, was attractive to Marron. Her dream job is to become a sport psychologist and address the pressures younger athletes often face as they advance to more competitive levels in their games. She knows the importance of an identity outside of her athletic ability but also the importance of routine and comfort in a new environment.
Going back to her All-Star appearance, Marron was keeping the mental side of the game in mind. She knew it would prepare her for what's to come.
"The All-Star game was still like a steppingstone in a way," she said. "I kept telling myself every time I would get stressed, 'This is preparing me for college.'"
As impressed as she was by her locker in Indiana, there's a locker in Starkville, Mississippi, that means much more.
"The second I walked in, I took a picture and sent it to the family group chat. They were all freaking out about it, and it was cool," Marron said. "When I walked into the locker room here and I saw the locker at the school that I have been counting down the days to go to for however long now, it felt like I had finally accomplished the goal I had been working towards so long. It was kind of like starting a new chapter."
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