Notre Dame College softball has a pair of players that are unique to say the least. The fact that McKenzie Zigmont and Taylor Olson are pitchers on a softball team is not that much different from the norm. The fact that they both play everyday is. Take a look at these statistics:
Zigmont:
25 appearances as a pitcher, 14 starts, and 11 in relief.
Hitting .269 with one homer and 18 RBI in 93 at bats.
Leads the team with 102.1 innings pitched
5 Complete Games
2 Saves
1 Complete Game Shutout
Olson:
101 .2 innings pitched
21 appearances
18 starts
Three Relief Appearances
3.63 ERA
8 Complete Games
2 Complete Game Shut Outs
Second on team with .329 batting average. Also has 11 RBI in 73 at bats.
That is a bit surprising. But what makes these two unique is the fact that they have combined for 13 complete games in the pitcher's circle.
They have 3 complete game shutouts, and 3 combined saves between them, now that's just plain bonkers.
Both players told me that they had Mizuno gloves the first time they were able to have a glove. Zigmont told me she was six when she got that glove, and it was a size 13. "I am not sure why I thought I needed a glove that big, "Zigmont said.
Then Olson talked about her first glove:
" I believe I was nine years old. It was a red and pink Jennie Finch Mizuno glove,"Olson mentioned. Those glove choices predicted college softball careers punctuated by oversized heart and determination!
McKenize Zigmont:
Zigmont is the poster child for incredible focus and determination. Between her freshman and sophomore season at NDC she had a major health scare...when she had a stroke. She was not sure if she would ever play softball again. She explained what it was like going through that:
"When I had my stroke I thought I was going to have to rearrange my life and dismiss all of my dreams, at one point I thought my days in this world were numbered. It was a hard thing to understand both physically, and mentally. I was always questioning 'why me?' I was not strong enough to walk, had constant headaches everyday, vomited every time I moved, and I had double vision for three months straight. I also suffered from some cognitive impairments. I thought I was never going to step foot on a softball field again, would have to leave NDC, and find a new career path. However, softball was one thing that always kept me going. I refused to believe I was never going to be able to play another game ever again because of a random health issue. When I was having a bad day, I would always try to go and hit off a tee, double vision and all. I fought extremely hard to get myself back onto the field, this involved me arguing with many doctors to allow me to play. My teammates were extremely supportive. They all made sure to check in on me visit me, and even got me a couple of 'get better' gifts. When I got back to school everyone acted like I was the old me, even though I wasn't. They helped me feel a sense of normalcy for the first time since I was sick. That is all I wanted after I went through this, getting my life back to normal. They always kept me motivated, pushed me on my worst days, and helped me get back to playing. NDC let me play, even with all the risks and I will forever be grateful that nobody here ever gave up on me. I wouldn't be where I am today without them."
Olson talked about when she found out about the scare:
" I did not know about Ziggy's health scare until she was already in the hospital for a few days. As a teammate I was extremely concerned that she would never be able to play softball again. I knew that she would do anything to get back on the field, and she definitely proved that to be right."
Teammate Katelyn Rheude talked about the resilience it took:
" Zigs resilience throughout her stroke was amazing to me. She went through her ups and downs but for the most part she kept a really good attitude. The one thing I will always remember about that time was how all she wanted to do was play softball and she didn't stop pushing the doctors, trainers, and coaches until she got her way."
Zigmont explained that helping people has always been something she has wanted to do even before her stroke. It had a major role in how she came to NDC. "Finding the perfect school for me was a struggle, and it did not help that I was stubborn in the process. My main goal was to find a school where I could continue to play softball and pursue a nursing degree. Many programs do not accept/ want players that are nursing majors due to how demanding the class schedule is, let alone a pitching nursing major. NDC found me. I always wanted to play for a coach who saw me play and picked me to be on their team rather than trying to send out hundreds of emails to schools trying to promote my athletic ability, which is where the stubbornness came in. In this modern day of technology, that is the way to get your name out to coaches in the recruiting process. The coaches found me while watching me at a travel tournament and approached my coach. I had never heard of NDC until that day but found out they could give me everything I wanted in my college experience, and I did not look back. I am extremely thankful it worked out this way. I met some of my best friends in my nursing classes and on the field, and I do not think I would have made it through college without any of them."
"Nursing courses and NDC were a perfect fit for me because I know how it feels coming to the hospital as a patient. It is usually the worst day of someone's life. I find being the light in someone's life on their hardest days is the most rewarding thing I do in my life. This is what I strive to do as a nurse. This is the reason I wanted to pursue this profession because I saw my mom's impact as a nurse first hand. She has always been the light in her patients lives, and I was able to see the changes that made in those patient's lives. I want to make an impact on my patients, even if it is in the smallest ways because it can make all the difference in their road to recovery after the hospital. I also enjoy being able to watch people overcome struggles and beat the odds and I get to do that everyday at work. Nursing does come with a lot of stress, and having to deal with extremely hard situations, but in the end, when I get to see people leave the hospital with a positive outcome, those days do not seem to affect me as much. I am extremely grateful to receive the Clinical Excellence Award from NDC. I feel extremely honored that my professors see me in this high regard."
Taylor Olson:
Olson's explanation for her decision to return this season speaks to her amazing focus and determination. "The deciding factor was that I was not ready to be done with the game yet. We only played six games in Florida last season before our season was over. One doubt I had coming back was what I would major in if I came back. There was talk of the school implementing a new Masters of Business Administration program but because of COVID-19 no one knew whether the program would get approved. It did get approved, and I am currently enrolled." Olson will graduate with her Masters in Business Administration this August.
Her improvement as a hitter is another indicator of her determination. Olson explained it this way: " I would not be the hitter I am today without my coaches. My improvement is from countless hours of practice and the confidence I received from my coaches.
The coaching staff is so unique because of the way they are able to work with each other. I remember hearing about what a great player Coach (Kelsey) Stopp was for NDC, and I never imagined I would get the opportunity to be coached by her. The passion and love she has for the game can't even be put into words. Coach (Don) Coleman holds everyone accountable, and provides constructive criticism. He always provides an explanation as to why something should be done a certain way, this explanation helps us become a better team. Coach (Leah) Allison brings a very good energy to not only the pitching staff, but the team as a whole. She is an extremely positive person that does not let you talk down to yourself. She has given me a different perspective of the game, and I am grateful she joined the coaching staff this year."
Zigmont explained to me that she plays every game for Olson; "She is the only other pitcher that hits, and sometimes plays a position, and that can become difficult mentally and physically some days. She is the only other person on the team that understands that struggle, and notices when it affects my game. She knows exactly how to talk me back up, so we feed off each other a lot. Every good pitch she throws or hit she has always hypes me up. We also compete in a good way. When one does well, we want the other to do well as well. We keep each other on our A- game. What makes her a great teammate is she is a positive force. She also knows how to lead by example, as well as vocally. She steps up to every challenge and will always have every teammate's back , on and off the field."
Olson explained what makes Zigmont such a good teammate:
" What makes Ziggy such a great teammate is we understand each other so well. We have been teammates for four years (Olson is a fifth year senior,) and I am still learning from her. Ziggy has a passion for the game that is unlike any teammate that I have ever played with. I am extremely grateful that I got the opportunity to learn and play with Ziggy because she made me a better player. She is always willing to help."
Zigmont explained one thing that people don't realize about softball:
"People don't realize how quick softball players have to be. Even though softball pitchers throw the actual pitch slower the distance is shorter. So the reaction time has to be quicker to determine when and if the hitter should swing. 60 Mph ( A common D2 pitching speed) is the same reaction time as a 90 Mph fastball in baseball. Our bases are also a shorter distance, giving the infield less time to complete a routine out than in baseball."
Olson agreed:
"Many people do not realize that softball is a much faster paced game compared to baseball. The bases are 60 feet apart, while in baseball they are 90 feet.
Zigmont gave some insight in her choices for Walk-up songs when she hits, and walk out songs when she pitches:
"I like to have meaning for everything I do on and off the field. I picked my pitching song "Big Poppa" by the Notorious B.I.G from the movie Hardball. One of the pitchers from the movie always had to listen to that song when he pitches. I watch this movie with my dad and we love every scene when that kid is pitching. We always laugh when the other players start to dance. My dad always looks at me from the outfield when I am warming up and that song is playing, and sometimes my mom will even join in too. My second pitching walk up is "Till I Collapse" by Eminem. I picked this song because some of the lyrics are relatable to me and how I feel my last year playing here at NDC. It reminds me to keep going and finish my career giving all I've got. My hitting walkups are: "A Mili" by Little Wayne, and "Shake Ya' Tailfetha' by Nelly. I picked A Mili because it has always been one of the songs I would listen to before games my entire softball career. It has always been a song to hype me up. I even showed my 12U travel girls I coached this song when they asked what my walk up song was, and they absolutely loved it. They even started playing it before every game and this gave it extra meaning to me this year. I picked "Shake Ya" Tailfetha" for my brother. We loved to sing this song together growing up, and he is one of the most important people in my life."
Olson told me her walk-out song for years has been "Gasolina" by Daddy Yankee." I just enjoy listening to that one on Game day, "she said.
Rheude talked about how much fun it is to play defense behind Zigmont and Olson:
"It is a lot of fun to play defense behind these two pitcher's. They are both so confident, and honestly very intimidating in the circle. My favorite part is going up to them during an at bat while I'm playing second base to say something stupid to try and give them confidence. I have really enjoyed playing next to them on the field as well, they both have such a strong presence on the field.
Rheude continued:
" They both have an extremely high work ethic that they bring to the team. Not only that, but they take pride in the field, and in hitting. They are also both very encouraging, and do a really good job of picking people up when they get down. When they are struggling in the field or hitting you wouldn't even notice because they keep a consistent mood the entire game."
Rheude talked about the hardest part of the pandemic, and the teams biggest improvement:
" The hardest part was losing an entire season with my team, and having to quarantine. Not being around my teammates was hard on me because they are my best friends, and family. It was really difficult not having my friends to pick me up on my bad days, and just go goof off and do something fun. As for the biggest improvement, it would have to be our chemistry with each other. It was hard to socialize with each other because of COVID-19, but with all the practices, van rides, and hotel stays we have all bonded and built a very strong connection. This is by far the best chemistry team I have been a part of at NDC."
Rheude then talked about the energy in the dugout:
"The energy in the dugout can really get you hyped up. Everyone is cheering, and encouraging. I know when I step into the batter's box I love hearing all the cheers. It clears my head, and I perform a lot better with the team backing me."
Look for the energy in the dugout at Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Virginia to be electric when NDC plays in the Mountain East (MEC) Softball Tournament today (Friday.) The first game will pit the top seed in the south, West Virginia State Yellow Jackets, against the fourth seed in the north that features Zigmont, Olson, and the rest of the Falcons at noon. The tournament is double elimination. If you are anywhere near the ballpark you will be able to hear the chants of 'Hey Ziggy, Hey Ziggy Hey' , and 'niner, niner' (Olson's jersey number) amongst others. It has been far from an ideal season, but the girls have a shot to make a postseason run, and that sure beats not playing at all.
Zigmont and Olson celebrate after the Zigmont blast!
Olson in the circle, with Rheude at second.
Zigmont in the circle.
Zigmont with her 12 U travel team.
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