By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
SAN BENITO — Jordan Ramos hit two milestones Tuesday, ringing in her 18th birthday by signing to play softball for the Texas A&M University-San Antonio Jaguars.
The Lady Greyhounds’ catcher/third baseman started playing softball when she was 4 years old, and she knew by the age of 6 she wanted to play in college. Ramos turned that goal into reality with her village there to celebrate, and she had several coaches and trainers standing beside her, along with her family, as all the hard work her crew put in came to fruition.
“It’s an amazing opportunity. A lot of people don’t get this chance. I get to represent my town and my last name up there, and I want to go big. I want to make everyone proud,” Ramos said. “It feels like a pressure off my shoulders. Now I get to work on my skills and hone in and prepare for my college career. I just want to have a good senior season. This year, I hope we come together and go far in the playoffs, possibly state.”
Ramos said her recruitment process started when she was in eighth grade after being picked up by a select team, Force Gold. She played for Rey Garza and Johnny Rojas, two of the many people she thanked for helping her get where she is today.
Her family was dedicated to helping Ramos reach her full potential and provided all the opportunities to do so. She trains with Jesse and Jessica Fuentes and works with batting coach Alejandro Martinez and catching coach Julia Campos when she’s not shining for San Benito. Lady Greyhounds coach Denise Lira also played a pivotal role in her career.
Jaguars coach Nicole Dufour connected with Ramos recently, and her welcoming nature convinced the senior to sign on her first visit. Ramos will be studying criminal justice with a minor in psychology when she gets to San Antonio.
“I went to camps, tournaments, showcases, I emailed thousands of coaches and just endlessly tried to get in front of people,” Ramos said. “The funny thing is, with Texas A&M-San Antonio, I didn’t meet them until this summer. Coach Dufour liked me, talked to me, and I went out for a visit and committed that day. It felt like home. (Dufour) made me feel like it’s going to be a good time and I’m not going to get homesick. She reassured my parents consistently, she really wanted them to be comfortable.”
Lira has been Ramos’ coach since she made the varsity team as a freshman, and she said watching her develop as a player and leader has been great. Lira said the skillset and mindset Ramos displayed at a young age made her confident they’d be celebrating her signing one day, and now that it happened, the coach is sure good things are in store for Ramos’ college career.
“We talked about this when she was a freshman, said, ‘Look, this day is going to happen. We don’t know to where, but as long as you stay committed and working hard it’ll happen.’ And she has. It’s a testament to her, her family, her support system,” Lira said. “She’s a very powerful hitter. She’s definitely going to be a threat at Texas A&M-San Antonio and a very, very strong source behind the plate. She’s very good at commanding the field, she communicates well with her pitchers. I’m really excited to see how she does in that aspect at the college level.”