By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
RIO HONDO — Kelsey Pizarro has a lot to be thankful for after making her long-time dream come true and signing to play softball for Jarvis Christian College.
The senior shortstop and pitcher for the Rio Hondo Lady Bobcats had family, friends, school administrators and her future Bulldogs coach, Ty Robinson, on hand to celebrate with her Wednesday. Recruitment during the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t easy, but Pizarro was determined to continue her career and she made it happen.
“It means a lot (to be signing),” Pizarro said. “I’ve been through a whole journey, going to camps, going to practices, showcases, and it finally paid off. I started playing when I was 8, and I knew I wanted to play softball in college. My parents really helped me a lot.”
Former Rio Hondo softball coach Brett Esparza said Pizarro was “just about to peak and really play her best ball” when the UIL season was cut short. He was worried that the pandemic may affect her offseason and recruitment, so seeing her sign was special because he knows the effort she’s put in to reaching this dream.
“I couldn’t be prouder of her,” Esparza said. “She’s worked really, really hard, and I’m glad to see it pay off for her. She’s very versatile. She played shortstop and pitched for us, but very easily she could’ve played third, second, center field. She can hit, she’s got a lot of speed, she’s really almost that true five-tool kid and she understands the game, so it’s going to translate really well to college.”
Pizarro was grateful to get the opportunity to play during the summer with MVP Fastpitch, her select organization based out of Corpus Christi. The organization helped her get in front of college coaches, which is how she got on Jarvis’ radar.
Robinson said he and his staff saw Pizarro at a showcase and were immediately interested. They invited her to play with their select team, the Gulf Coast Force, which gave the senior a head start in creating a bond with her future Jarvis coaches and teammates.
“When I first saw her, I thought she’d be a great fit for our program,” Robinson said. “It was a pleasure coaching her. We had to break her from her shyness, because she’s really shy, but she got a chance to meet some players she’ll be playing with so I think that was a big plus. She goes out and takes everything business-like. I think that’ll be a big plus at the next level. She’s very athletic and she’s very confident in what she does. Always have to learn more about the game, so once her softball IQ gets up with her athletic ability, she’s going to help a lot.”
It didn’t take long for Pizarro to feel comfortable on campus and accept the offer to play for the Bulldogs. She said signing with a school before her senior season begins takes a lot of pressure off her, and she’s looking forward to taking on the challenge of college softball.
“Coach (Robinson) saw me at a showcase, and I went to do a visit and I really liked it, and he offered me and I took it,” Pizarro said. “It was maybe the second school I went to and I really liked it, so I went with it. I wanted to go to a smaller school. (I’m looking forward to) just the level of competition and waking up early for workouts and all that stuff.”