When the alarm goes off around 5 a.m. for Kari Adams, an outfielder on the Grand View softball team, she gets up, puts on her lifting clothes, and heads to the weight room to get a lifting workout in before practice starts at 7 a.m. When practice starts, she and her teammates’ warmup at the Wellness Center. They jog, stretch, throw and bat. She later breaks off into her position group and practices skills specific to outfielders. Every day is different for Adams, but her main focus is to be better than she was yesterday.
Growing up, Adams was passionate about softball. In high school, Adams realized she was among the best athletes in her town, so she knew she had what it took to go to the next level. During the summer after she graduated from high school, she decided to put herself out there for college recruitment. She joined a “showcase team,” which is a team of players wanting to become noticed by college recruiters and scouts. She also talked to her club softball coach about Grand View because his daughter was on the Grand View Softball team, and it was close to home.
Soon, she made a visit to the athletics office to meet with Head Coach Lewis Yacinich to discuss joining the team. At the end of their conversation, Adams said Yacinich “gave me a t-shirt and handbook, and said welcome!”
A t-shirt, a handbook, but no scholarship. Adams had become a walk-on for the Grand View Vikings Softball Team.
Playing any sport at the collegiate level is intimidating in itself. For every player, it is a journey of self-discovery and determination. Each athlete has a story and must prove him or herself to coaches and teammates. But for walk-ons the pressure is even greater given that they’re not just looking for playing time or a roster spot but rather a scholarship as well.
“I definitely was nervous about joining the team because coming from a school where my talents outshined others then going into a program where I was going to have to compete for a spot. I’ve never had to do something like that before,” said Adams.
Most walk-ons feel this way because they come to a higher softball level making them feel obligated to feel some connection with the team. With every sport, there is a distinction between players being recruited versus walking-on. Since she joined the team, she has not regretted a single moment at Grand View. She describes it as a second family because they live, play and work hard together.
“To (Coach Lewis), we are all equal in his eyes,” said Kelsey Winnett, a catcher for Grand View softball. Winnett was another walk-on that later on earned a scholarship.
At the end of freshman year, Adams played and practiced endlessly. She believed it was time to talk to the coach and get what she deserved. She went to Coach Lewis Yacinich about earning a scholarship. They came to a conclusion and Adams received a scholarship coming into Grand View as a sophomore. Everything has been an adventure for Adams. From leaving a small town to joining a higher-level sport and competing for a spot.
Ryan Zellmer is another player who came to Grand View as a walk-on, but as a transfer from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Zellmer was recruited by Grand View coming out of high school and several other schools, but he ultimately chose to take a Division 1 offer to play baseball at Nebraska.
“I was playing baseball at Nebraska currently, but what made me come to Grand View was basically the playing time. D-1 is great and all, but being able to come to a smaller school, I figured I could get more playing time,” Zellmer said.
The main reason he came to Grand View was that of playing time. He said that everything else was fine except for the fact that he was not playing much. About Nebraska he said, “It panned out, I did fine academically and on the field, but I didn’t get enough playing time.
“So, I came back and I asked the coaches and they said that’s fine you can come back we’d love to have you. So that’s where I am at now,” Zellmer said.
According to head baseball coach Lou Yacinich, about one person every year joins any sport as a walk-on, then gradually earns a scholarship. Coaches look for is the shortage from graduation and then find players that would fit the necessary skills for the position that is open or have a variety of skills to be placed anywhere.
Coach Lewis Yacinich the Grand View softball coach looks for a couple of specific things when he looks for players.
“Two things for me, you want to be at Grand View and you have a passion for the sport,” Lewis Yacinich said.
These are the main things that he looks for when trying to find softball players. Other things include being athletic and having skills as well as taking care of other things like in the classroom, etc.
“If you want to be at Grand View and you have a passion for the sport, you’re going to take care of all those things, so when you get onto the field, you’re going to get better that day at that point,” Lewis said.
“When you sign up and want to be a part of Grand View softball, you are getting the same rights and expectations and level of coaching and skill development that our scholarship athletes receive. You are getting all of the same pieces,” he said.
“You want to be on the field, we’re going to work and expect things out of you that we expect out of every player. It is up to you to earn that spot,” said Lewis Yacinich.
This allows players to have the opportunity to compete for a spot, have a lot of playing time, and earn their way up to gain a scholarship.
For any players that want to pursue a sport in college here is some advice from all players,
Kari Adams: “Explore your options with what schools can give to you. Don’t be too scared to talk to coaches, they talk to thousands of kids a year.”
Kelsey Winnett: “If you are even thinking about wanting to play a sport again, do it, you’ll probably regret it.”
Ryan Zellmer: “Just try it see what happens. You never know what abilities you are born with, what abilities you have. Everyone has a talent and it is the lucky ones that find it. Everyone is born with something. Keep your head up no matter what happens and take it day by day”.
