Nov. 2, 2011
Samfordsports.com will be posting "Getting to Know..." articles about all eight newcomers to the 2011-12 Samford softball squad once a week beginning on Sept. 21.
This week, we're talking to pitcher Misha Aldridge from Columbus, Ga.
Past Stories:
September 21 - Madison Dickey
September 28 - Abby Adams
October 12 - Shelby Scott
October 19 - Caroline Seay
October 26 - Casey Clark
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford will be Misha Aldridge's third school in three years, but the junior pitcher from Columbus, Ga., thinks that landing at Samford is a satisfying end to a long journey. The talented pitcher will provide an immediate boost to the Bulldogs' rotation, providing veteran leadership on a young squad.
How did you get your start playing softball as a kid?
"Growing up, my parents were the president and vice-president of a league in Columbus, Ga., so I grew up around softball and baseball fields. It just kind of progressed from tee ball to coach-pitch to softball. My dad was my first coach in softball. From there I moved on to travel ball and high school and it kept growing."
Did you play any other sports growing up?
"Up until high school I did gymnastics on and off. In high school I did basketball and track. I went to the state meet in track every year for the shot put and discus and placed third in both events my senior year. I was undefeated in the regionals in the discus all four years. Track was an option after high school but I couldn't see myself doing track for another four years. I can always see myself doing softball, I have more love for that sport."
When did you decide that playing at the college level was something you wanted to pursue?
"I always dreamed about it. Every year in Columbus we have the Leadoff Classic where they bring in the top 25 teams in the nation and ever since I was little I always dreamed about being those players and playing in college."
You've moved around a lot these past few years. Take us through that journey.
"Early in high school, I didn't really know where I wanted to go, I was just feeling my way through it. Like every kid, you think you want to go to the big SEC schools but once you start playing, you realize that may not happen. My senior year, my coach told me about Birmingham Southern where [Samford Head Coach] Mandy [Burford] was at the time. I went in for a tryout and they liked me. It was something about being there, they made it comfortable and fun and they made me feel like I would get better even though it was a Division III school. I had other offers at bigger schools but something just felt right so I went there.
"The coaches eventually left to come to Samford and I knew I didn't want to stay at Birmingham Southern. That's when I transferred to Chattanooga State to get a chance to work on my skills and let other coaches see me for another year. By the grace of God, Mandy saw something in me again and everything worked out. I think coming here was the best decision because it's brought me back to great coaches and great people."
What has it been like playing at the different levels of college softball?
"It's been fun. Division III was a little different at Birmingham Southern. I liked playing JUCO at Chattanooga State because you played so many games at so many different schools. You play big SEC schools, you play people out west, you just play so many people. Last year, we played 30 games in the fall and close to 70 games in the spring, so it was a lot of playing but you got to learn a lot about yourself as a player and how you deal with pressure. Hopefully I take everything I learned from that experience and can bring it to Samford and be successful."
How have you grown as a player these past two years?
"We played some SEC schools last year so I think learning from those experiences was big, especially the mistakes you make pitching those games. You play so many games you have to learn how to take care of your body and be mentally focused and prepared. When you get in the middle of the season and you're really tired, that's when your mental game has to kick in. I think mentally, more than anything, I grew last year."
What are your impressions of the 2012 Samford squad after this fall season?
"We have a lot of diversity on the team. We have power, we have speed, we have girls that can do so many different things. The great thing about the team is that we have barely tapped into our potential. We have so much that we can improve on and as we keep growing and learning what everyone's strengths are, I think the sky's the limit for this team. We have the potential to be very great this year and do some things to surprise some people."
What are some of your goals for the spring?
"I want to start off the season with good wins in our first tournament and get off to a good start. Working our way through the year we're going to have our struggles but my goal is to win the Southern Conference. That's the first goal, to win conference, and to have one of the best records in Samford softball history. Personally, I just want to be a good leader and somebody that the younger girls can look up to for support. I just want to be as mentally strong as possible."
