There’s possibly nothing as rewarding as watching your hard work pay off. And that’s exactly what Delanie Wisz, 17, did recently as she signed her letter of commitment to play softball at Loyola Marymount University.
“I’m very excited but also very nervous,” the Righetti High School senior said.
She said she had looked at several colleges but Loyola Marymount was always on her list.
She said it’s a perfect fit for many reasons, but primarily because it will put her minutes away from her sister who attends UCLA. “I’m very family oriented,” she explained.
Delanie grew up playing softball. She played for the San Jose Sting before playing with So Cal Athletics out of Los Angeles. That’s the team she credits with helping get her into Loyola.
She aged out of So Cal Athletics and is currently with USA Athletics out of Long Beach when she’s not playing for Righetti.
Playing ball for the USA Athletics as well as her high school team is a huge commitment, not just for Delanie but also for her family.
“It’s definitely a lot of hours in the car. It’s exhausting, I have school all week. On the weekends I have to get up at 3:45 a.m. to get to LA by 7:30 a.m. or 8 a.m. You have to be able to balance your school work and practice. I literally have no down time,” she said. “But if you’re committed and willing to put in the work, it’s fun.”
Putting in the work is definitely a family affair, with all the members of the Wisz household encouraging each other to excel.
“I think my family keeps me motivated. We all push each other to become the best version of ourselves,” Delanie said.
Delanie has been playing softball since she was about 5 years old, but playing the game for so many years hasn’t diminished her enthusiasm for it, or the enjoyment she gets from a well-executed play.
She said one of her best memories was coming up to bat after a long slump. The bases were loaded and the other batters were striking out because the pitcher was throwing rise balls.
“She threw a rise ball at me and I hit it,” Delanie said.
She hit a grand slam and the team went from losing by 2 points to being up by 2 points.
“I hit home plate and everyone was cheering. That’s one of my favorite memories,” she said.
Delanie plans to major in biology when she starts college next year, and she hopes to become a physician’s assistant or an oral surgeon.
This article appears in Dec 8-15, 2016.