Senior Marissa Thome from Sugar Land has been playing softball since she was five. Last season, she led her team with a .406 batting average. 

Shelby Cole: What is your post-grad goal?

Marissa Thome: I ultimately want to make a difference in peoples’ lives. Softball helped me grow as an athlete and a person, so I want to be that positive influence to my players and students. It coincides with my faith; I feel like I’m called to teach and coach.

SC: How does it feel to have your crazy batting average?

MT: It can be a little pressure, but I try not to think about it.

SC: Have you ever been hit by the ball before?

MT: All the time. The worst thing is you can see it coming. You just have to turn into it, don’t tense up and don’t rub it, whatever you do. I have a scar on my hand from the stitches of the ball hitting me in high school.

SC: Any breaks or tears?

MT: Once I was playing for a select team before I came to St. Edward’s. I went to dive for a ball, and first base started running to get it, too. I couldn’t change my direction in the air, and she tried to avoid hitting me. She ran into my arm, tearing my labrum except for a strand. I couldn’t even lift my arm. For the rest of the game, I threw underhand. We didn’t have anybody else to play and my teammates needed me. I had to get surgery, and I was out for months.

SC: Do you see your teammates as family?

MT: You end up growing on each other. We spend every waking moment together in season, when we’re stuck on a bus, or when we travel for, like, 12 hours to Kansas or something. Sometimes we’re like ‘I love you, but I can’t wait to get back to campus so I don’t have to see your face for a day.’ You need the next day off and you don’t miss anybody, but then you realized you missed them for those 24 hours. It’s a really great bond.

SC: What’s it like working with Cat Osterman, pitcher for the U.S. National Team?

MT: It was weird at first; I watched her [when I was] growing up and now she’s here in person. Now, it doesn’t even phase me. I sometimes forget she was in the Olympics. She knows her stuff, but she’s down to earth.

SC: What do you do in your free time?

MT: I study a lot. I also love hanging out with friends. I’m Co-President of FCA here, and that’s a huge part of my life. We do Bible studies and huddles, which is like game night. I’ve been involved with FCA since my freshman year. They’re my second family.

SC: What gets you pumped for a game?

MT: I listen to my Christian rap mix. My favorite Christian rapper is Lecrae. It is upbeat, but the message is still good and helps keep me calm.

SC: Do you have any weird hobbies or habits?

MT: I deal with numbers daily, but I hate odd numbers. When my best friend turns up the TV, she’ll make it stop on a weird number and it freaks me out. I am also partially narcoleptic, apparently … I have so much softball and studying, if I get five minutes I’m going to nap. People make fun of me if I fall asleep in conversation.

SC: What’s your secret on-campus nap spot?

MT: Our dugout. I’ll sleep on those wooden benches any day. Or the women’s locker room. It is mainly for soccer, volleyball and basketball, but they have good nap couches.