© 2024 Michigan State University Board of Trustees
Public Media from Michigan State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Okemos' Buckland stars on softball diamond and helps team win

OKEMOS, Mich. - Softball player Kate Buckland is proof that any athlete can excel with commitment, training, and hard work. Buckland says she wasn't born with the skills to be a great softball player, but reached elite level play with the help of many coaches over the years and hard work. She is headed to play Division I softball as a catcher at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.

She's mostly looking forward to getting out of Michigan and being able to play ball all year-round in the south. She has spent the last 8 years playing travel ball with Detroit Compuware Fastpitch as a starting catcher, left fielder, center fielder, and at third.

She was the bat girl for MSU softball under Coach Jacquie Joseph for 2 years, and that's when her passion for the game came to life. While traveling with Compuware she realized how important it was to balance softball and school was. In 2015 she won the coaches awards and also earned Conference All Academic awards in 2014 and 2015.

WKAR's Andrea Urban checks in with Buckland and her Okemos teammates.

Journalism at this station is made possible by donors who value local reporting. Donate today to keep stories like this one coming. It is thanks to your generosity that we can keep this content free and accessible for everyone. Thanks!