After years of dedication and excellence to sports on the Central Coast, high school senior Dana Bouquet, a St. Joseph Knight, signed a letter of intent to Notre Dame to play softball. She did so in front of family, friends, and schoolmates during a signing ceremony inside the St. Joseph Gymnasium. The local star athlete is eager to continue her success with Notre Dame and be under the care of her new coaches.
Bouquet started playing softball and soccer at age 5 and never strayed from the path. As a Knight, she’s played and excelled in softball, soccer, volleyball, and tennis, earning letters in each.
“Sports are my passion, it’s just what I love to do” she said.
As one of St. Joseph’s most accomplished athletes, earning First Team All Pac 7 league honors for softball as a junior, and also earning the league’s Defensive MVP in girls soccer, she’s excited to move on to the next level in softball and play for Notre Dame.
The athlete visited the UCSB, Cal Poly, and Stanford campuses, but didn’t consider them once she visited Notre Dame.
“I knew right away, and I’ve met my future coaches and teammates, and I know I will be in good hands,” she said. “I feel that the coaches will take care of me as a person, and not just as a softball player.”
Although she has yet to decide on a major, she has until the end of her freshman year to pick which direction in which to take her studies.
Her family has also played a large role in helping her grow as an athlete and a person alongside her coaches.
“My mom was very supportive, and my dad, too, who would help push me and practice with me,” she said.
Bouquet is very thankful for all the support she’s received along with the encouragement from everyone who had an influence on her success.
“I would like to thank God for blessing me with this opportunity and give a special thanks to Coach Bob Perales for helping me become the player that I am today and helping me reach my goals,” she said.
This article appears in Nov 22-29, 2012.