The Fearless Warrior Podcast
046: Routines of an Olympian with Ali Aguilar
Episode Highlights
- Ali's introduction to softball
- How she chose her collegiate school
- Which mental skills she uses in her career today
- How her participation in other sports helped her in softball
More ways to work with Fearless Fastpitch
- Learn about our proven Mental Skills Program, The Fearless Warrior Program
- Book a One on One Session for your Athlete
- Book a Mental Skills Workshop for your Team or Organization
Follow us on Social Media
- Facebook @fearlessfastpitchmentaltraining
- Instagram @fearlessfastpitch
- Twitter @CoachAB_
Episode Highlights
- Ali's introduction to softball
- How she chose her collegiate school
- Which mental skills she uses in her career today
- How her participation in other sports helped her in softball
More ways to work with Fearless Fastpitch
- Learn about our proven Mental Skills Program, The Fearless Warrior Program
- Book a One on One Session for your Athlete
- Book a Mental Skills Workshop for your Team or Organization
Follow us on Social Media
- Facebook @fearlessfastpitchmentaltraining
- Instagram @fearlessfastpitch
- Twitter @CoachAB_
Welcome to the fearless warrior podcast, a place for athletes, coaches and parents who know the value of a strong mindset. I'm your host, coach AB, a mental performance coach on a mission, former softball coach, wife and mom of three. Each episode, we will dive deep into all things mental performance, mindset tools and how to rewire the brain for success. So, if your goal is to gain the mental edge and learn the secrets of mental performance, mindset tools and how to rewire the brain for success, so if your goal is to gain the mental edge and learn the secrets of mental performance, you're in the right place. Let's tune in to today's episode, all right.
Speaker 1:So we have our guest speaker for March we have Allie Aguilar with us today. Really quickly wanted to introduce her. And then, just as always for our guest speaker for March, we have Allie Aguilar with us today. Really quickly wanted to introduce her. And then, just as always for our guest speakers, you guys get to ask the questions. Tonight, allie comes to us. She plays pro ball with the USSSA Pride. She is a two-time All-American UW We've got some UW fans, for sure and then she uh, she was also a silver medalist with team USA. So, uh, very bold and open with her faith as well. Allie, do you work with church on the dirt still?
Speaker 2:Not as much right now but like I'm still great friends with all the girls, so absolutely take it over.
Speaker 1:Um, I'm excited for our girls to ask you questions.
Speaker 2:Well then, take it over. I'm excited for our girls to ask you questions. Awesome, hey guys, hey girls. I wonder how old all you guys are. This is awesome. Thanks for joining.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I guess I'll just share a little bit deeper about me. I obviously play softball. Um, I started playing when I was seven years old, so I didn't really know softball was a sport and my dad just kind of took me out there to do you guys know what big five is? No dicks, it's like dicks. And um, yeah, he just like started buying me the equipment and I was like what is going on? Am I playing volleyball? Like what in the world? And then I just was out on the dirt and honestly, to be honest, I was not very good when I first started. I kept the bat on my shoulder or I did not swing, I was too afraid and I pitched and wasn't very good at that either. I mean, softball was not my thing. So to see that I've made it to the Olympics, I just I didn't think that was really possible when I first started playing, when I joined when I was seven years old.
Speaker 2:So, you know, um started there seven and then, right away, my dad was super competitive. So even though I wasn't very good, he wanted to find a way to help me get better. And I joined a team when I was nine years old, on a travel team. And that's the first time I experienced. I was nine years old but I was playing with 12 U girls because my dad knew the coach and I kind of got to join and got to play with these older girls. So obviously you can imagine I was really intimidated because they were all much older than me.
Speaker 2:But that was my first experience with travel ball. And then I just kept going and I turned about 13, so about eighth grade, and I actually started getting better at softball. Like I told you guys, I didn't start off very good but I put the work in. My dad was determined to work with me and get me on good teams and good coaches and you guys I'm sure maybe have lessons for your skill work and that's kind of what I did in eighth grade. I've had people start telling me like oh, ali, you're good at softball. And I was like what, what does that?
Speaker 1:mean.
Speaker 2:You know, like I was just playing for fun and I didn't really care, you know, whether I was good or not, but I just liked being out there with my teammates. So I think that's when I started taking it more serious. And you know, that's when sometimes pressure comes and different things like that. So, eighth grade, I had this switch in my brain of like, first I was just playing softball for fun and I didn't really know or care with whether I was good, I didn't have a grasp for what good or bad was. Then eighth grade hit and all of a sudden I felt this pressure, you know, to perform. And at the time, for me that's when colleges started to even look at girls. And I was like what you know? It started really early on my my group of, you know, age group and I was just like I don't even know what high school's, like, how am I supposed to think about college? And so from there I just, you know, kind of dealt with it but performed the best that I could. And freshman year came around. I think that was probably the hardest year because you hear the really good players were committing freshman year of high school, you know. And so I was like, oh my gosh, and I was going to all these camps and doing all these things and um, you know, just wanting to have fun with my teammates. So freshman year passes, I end up making varsity my freshman year of high school, um, I remember even like, oh my gosh, I don't want to steal someone's position, like I don't want to. Uh, you know, I don't know if I could play shortstop and I ended up, you know, my dad was like you got to just go out there and do the best, you know, give it all you have. And I ended up starting at shortstop all four years, you know of my high school career. But I was nervous to kind of go in there and take that you know spot or just be a part of the team, really.
Speaker 2:And then sophomore year came around and that's when I started getting interest from colleges. And so my sophomore year I was at um, oregon state, and I went on a visit there and, um, they offered me and I was like, oh my gosh, this is my first real offer. I want to go to the PAC 12. This is awesome. But I was like I'm just going to wait. I went to this other camp and coach Tar or calls me, or Washington, like Washington's interested in you, you should hold off on Oregon state, you know, whatever. And I after that I went on a visit to Washington and I was like I think this is it. You know, my dad felt really confident about it. I felt confident about it. I really liked the coaching staff. I really liked the distance it was from home. You know, I it felt like it was all my. You know X's and O's that I wanted.
Speaker 2:And so my sophomore year of high school, you know I decided, even though I still have it was the beginning of my sophomore year. So I still had sophomore year, junior year, senior year, all to like finish before I went to college. And I committed then, knowing that I still have three more years, and that was also a lot of pressure, you know, like you commit to a college and you're like, well, I still have three more years to get better, or I better get better, or else they're going to change their mind, maybe you know. And so so then those three years go by, and then I ended up at Washington. I played four years there, also played shortstop, and then that was probably the most amazing career or amazing experience for me Hard but also very rewarding. My senior year we finally made it to the World Series.
Speaker 2:I don't know if you guys watched the Women's College World Series, but it's always. You know the dream since I was your guys's age. You watch those girls. You're like they're so cool, they're on TV, you know, and I was like, oh my gosh, I'm one of those girls now and it was just like full circle. And when you're there you don't really realize you're on TV, but you are.
Speaker 2:And so that was awesome going to Oklahoma city and then after that I got opportunities to play for USA and I was like I was expecting my career would end, you know, after college be done, go pursue a job, but I got to keep playing and that's what's really cool. So I played for team USA and did that for about five years and then that's when I just finished at the Olympics and 2021, we played in Japan, if any of you guys watched and ended up with a silver medal, um, and still playing professional softball. So, um, yeah, that's just a little bit about my journey and, um, how I got there. I mean, there's so much more if you guys have any questions. I tried to kind of touch on some of the things I might've struggled with mentally, um, and things like that. But, yeah, so thanks for listening and if you guys have any questions, you can go ahead fire away, you guys, alexa when did you realize that you wanted to be an olympian?
Speaker 2:wait, can you guys tell me what sport you play? Softball, oh sweet. And how old are you?
Speaker 3:I'm 12 awesome.
Speaker 2:So sixth grade or seventh?
Speaker 2:seventh okay, um, when I wanted to be olympian, okay, I dreamed of it. Like I said, oh, I don't know if I said that, but I saw, like the older girls, like I don't know if you guys know, natasha Watley, caitlin Lowe, jenny Finch, like all of them I watched them when I was in fourth grade. So in fourth grade I was like this is so cool. In fourth grade I was like this is so cool. And in eighth grade I even got into it even more, because the Olympics happen every four years and I was a slapper, so I'm a left-handed hitter, but I was a slap hitter before I became a power hitter. Now I'm more of a power hitter, but I would stand up there with, like, caitlin Lowe, you know, on TV, and like slap with her and like do my at bat, pretending that it was me there. So I think that's where, like, the dream began of like I just this is so cool, they're representing all of us, they're on TV, Like they have USA across their chest, they're in the Olympics. That's really where I, like dreamed of it.
Speaker 2:But, um, as you might know, softball has been, was out of the olympics from 2008 all the way to 2020. So that dream kind of died in between there because you're like, oh, I guess there's no olympics anymore. And then it came back to life later, after college, um, when I got the opportunity um again to play for usa. So that's a little bit of my story with with the Olympics. All right, do I call on someone else? Go for it? Okay, skylar, how old are you?
Speaker 4:I'm nine and I play softball and basketball, and I have a question. So when you were afraid of the ball, how did you overcome your fear? Because that's what I'm doing right now, and stepping back when the pitcher is pitching.
Speaker 2:Oh, up to bat man, that is, that's exactly what I dealt with. I wouldn't even take. Do you take the bat off your shoulder At least? I mean I wouldn't even take. Do you take the bat off your shoulder at least? I mean I wouldn't even take the bat off my shoulder.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, so I think you know, honestly, I think it's just continuing to try, continuing to get in there and get used to that, right Cause, like we're not born having balls thrown at us, you know. So it might take some time and even if you can do like practices with your parents or your friends where they toss the ball and you, you know, maybe they toss it a little slower than normal, so you're like, okay, I'm good with that, I feel confident, and then keep working that up to like, maybe a little bit faster, a little bit faster. And then my other thing would be do like wiffle balls or a ball that you know, if it to hit you, it's not going to hurt, you know. So work a lot with wiffle balls and get used to that speed and be able to. But it's just going to take time and I promise over time you'll get more used to a ball coming at you good question.
Speaker 3:Okay, let's see Mary Jane do you play multiple positions or do you just play like shortstop?
Speaker 2:um what we do.
Speaker 3:Play softball, too softball uh, yeah, I play softball and basketball and I sprint oh sweet, and you're how old?
Speaker 2:12, oh, wow, okay. Okay, yes, um, growing up I played infield and outfield and then, like, they always told me that, like it's good to do multiple positions because you might end up somewhere and I've seen that a lot where, like, short stops will end up in left field or, you know, second basemans will end up at third base because you know it's such an athletic position. So I have played mostly short stop in second base. To be honest, um, I was a short stop in college and then when I got to USA I got moved to second. So that was a different transition. But since they were so similar, um, I wouldn't call it like multiple positions, but I've, I could say I've seen a lot of people.
Speaker 2:Um, like one of my teammates, bubba Nichols, do you guys know her? She played for UCLA, she was also team USA. She, oh my gosh, she plays every position. She can pitch. I mean she pitched, she was on my travel team. She pitches, she plays. Third, she played short with us. She went second, like at practice. She's like everywhere, and that really got her like a lot of opportunities's like everywhere, and that really got her like a lot of opportunities. Like, cause people want people that can like oh shoot, we need a left fielder. But they don't play left field, you know. But she, she mastered kind of all those and it was, I mean, I think she had a lot of fun doing it too. You know, getting to learn so much. So I always recommend, like, trying out multiple positions. You never know where you're gonna end up. Oh uh, is it Lauren? Or?
Speaker 3:Alexa? Yeah, it's Lauren. Okay, how old are you? I play softball and volleyball, nice. Um, my question is who or what motivated you the most? I?
Speaker 2:would say at first, like when I first started playing, like I was really motivated by being with my friends, so like I knew that if I was going to practice or going to a game, like I was going to get to be with all my teammates and just like have fun, you know, be silly and talk about things and win games. Like that was what motivated me to go out to the field, you know, or, yeah, just go out and do that. I think what motivated me. If you're asking like to put in the extra work, I think I wanted to be confident. So bad like in the game I didn't want to feel like, oh no, I should have done something else to prepare once I was up to bat, or like been like performed bad and been like I could have put in more work, and so to eliminate that I would. I was motivated by like I want to be confident when I go up to bat. So I'm going to put in you know it doesn't have to be crazy, but like a couple of days extra of work off the tea in the garage or whatever roll the ball with my sister, my teammates, so that I knew did what I could to be prepared and or at least be confident, when I was on the field, up in the box, you know. So that's what. What kind of motivated me to put in that work? Um yeah, early on Got another question.
Speaker 1:Got some questions in the chat. If you want to open up the chat too, oh sweet.
Speaker 2:Okay, hold on Zoom. Expert.
Speaker 1:Okay, and I can read them too if you'd like.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, that if you have a quote that you like, that's the first, probably right, oh wait um yes yep jordan's yeah, if you have a quote that you like, what is a good quote that you would like to read before a game, I can oh, I can't unmute, okay, jordan. Um, if I have a quote that you like to read before game, I honestly spend a lot of time reading the Bible and that's my favorite book. But I feel like you know, with my faith and what I believe is that God has a plan for my life and he, what he says, is written in the Bible and in the word, so I can literally open up that thing and read a verse and there's actually a lot of life in what that verse is saying. So I don't necessarily lean towards quotes. Um, mostly I will. I spend time every day in the Bible, so I will read a Bible verse in the Bible, oftentimes more, and kind of meditate on that and it will be related. Maybe I'm feeling anxiety, right, and it says cast all your cares on the Lord because he cares for you. Then I'm surrendering that you know, just kind of giving over my anxiousness. I'm nervous, kind of handing that over to him. Um, and that really um helps. So I will definitely relate it to kind of what I'm going through in my life or in in softball.
Speaker 2:Um, did you ever have a time that you said this picture is too fast and you didn't even swing the bat once? Um, this is what happened in my tournament tournament and my hitting coach got super duper mad. Oh well, I'm sorry your coach got mad, but, um, I think that definitely could happen. I think, um, for me, I would just like swing. I would guess swing, you know, like when you're like, oh she's fast, just swing, whatever. So's. It's about the same thing, um, but I mean that's understandable if someone's that's intimidating, right, if someone throws the ball really hard, you're like I should just give up, you know.
Speaker 2:But I think it goes back to um, trusting, trusting what you, what you see and the work that you've put in. Um, I think there never should be a reason why, like, although I understand there shouldn't be a reason why you give up without trying. So my advice would be at least like, trust what you see and trust your swing and your timing for what you have in that moment, instead of just giving up before you even try. Because sometimes, like today, I was hitting off the machine and I was like, okay, he told me that the machine was faster, so he moved it from 60 miles per hour to like 65. So I automatically tried to create the swing that was faster and earlier and I was way ahead of the ball and so I was like I'm just going to trust what I see and I'm going to swing and hit what based on what I'm seeing, instead of trying to like hurry up so I'm not late. And I ended up having way better swings when I just trusted my timing, what I, the pitch that I was seeing and taking a swing did my timing what I the pitch that I was seeing and taking a swing.
Speaker 2:So I think always try, trust your swing. Um, and you're gonna fail, it'll happen, but it'll get better each time. Um, okay, mary Jane, do you?
Speaker 2:play multiple sports as a kid oh, I, I tried like a few sports. So I really liked soccer, so I played soccer, I played a little bit of basketball, I tried um, well, I tried, this is I don't know. I did ballet, I don't know why they came to mind. I feel like it's fine to do different, like different sports doesn't have to be like the basic ones, like softball, soccer, you know, uh, basketball, like it doesn't have to be all the main ones. I think exploring other ones can be helpful as well. But, oh, I did gymnastics, that was another one. But I think ever since I was 12, I've stuck with softball, which I think is a little earlier than normal. I think it's best to continue to play beyond that with other sports and learn different skills and mentally too, you're getting your brain off of softball and getting it on to basketball or volleyball or whatever other sport you play. Oftentimes you come back to softball and you're like more refreshed in your mind and ready to like take in the information and kind of get better.
Speaker 3:All right, uh, alexa which sport is like best to do with softballs? Like is track the best, or like softball. Like which one goes well with softball?
Speaker 2:I feel like you can't go wrong. I mean track would be good because you're getting faster right. Soccer is good because you're moving your feet. You're getting that footwork for defense if you're an infielder, same with basketball Could ballet be helpful dance, because hitting is a lot of rhythm.
Speaker 2:You have to have rhythm. So I actually think if I were to go back, or I should do it now, just like, take some dance classes, because you're getting that rhythm down and I'm telling you, hitting is all rhythm and timing. So I can't wait to see your moves good, I did.
Speaker 3:I do ballet and I just got my pointe shoes this weekend.
Speaker 2:Oh, you do. That's so awesome, thank you. Do you guys dance in that too? Is it like considered dance?
Speaker 3:Ballet, yeah, ballet, jazz, everything, it's all considered dance.
Speaker 2:Oh, so you do like tap dancing too?
Speaker 3:I used to.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's sweet. That's awesome. I'm glad I mentioned that I did ballet. I got a connection okay.
Speaker 4:Skylar, what did you do to build your confidence when you were so little?
Speaker 2:that's a good question, I think. I think, honestly, just if I made a mistake sometimes that was the hardest like if I made a mistake, I would think that I was never gonna get it. You know, maybe like that was it, you know, but I kept trying. So, like you know, if you're like, what position do you play? We play all around, okay, yeah. Yeah, that's right, that was that was a bad question, okay.
Speaker 2:So if you're at shortstop and you know someone your coach, hits a far ball and then you miss it, right, you could either tell yourself one of two things. You could tell yourself, oh, that ball's too far for me, or you could say I'm gonna get that ball next time, right, those are two different attitudes and those two different attitudes are building your confidence and your mental game, because one's choosing like positivity and, um, you know, like that confident feeling and, oh, I'm not good enough to get that. And so I think what helped me is when those balls are really far, I, my dad, believed, and I believed, oh, no, I'm going to get that one next time, you know, I'm going to be able to get there. Oh, I swung and missed, I'm going to get that pitch next time, you know. So I think, really just going back to competing and you having that one or two choices of like, oh man, I guess I'm never gonna be able to hit that pitch or no, I'm gonna get that one next time. Does that make sense? Nice, all right.
Speaker 3:Um, mary Jane um, so did you deal with, like, girls being mean and you having to like overcome it, and their comments and stuff?
Speaker 2:Yes, that is one of the hardest things. I'm sorry You're going through that. If you're going through that, um, I've definitely had teammates at probably on probably every team. I've had that, whatever, forever, whatever reason.
Speaker 2:I always felt like I was, um, trying to do the right thing or like trying to be nice but something wasn't received on the other end, and I think just noticing and like it is kind of that is a hard situation. But I think continuing to be who you are is kind of that is a hard situation. But I think continuing to be who you are at your fullest, and not compromising anything about yourself because you're nervous of you know, someone's going to be mean to you or someone's going to say something or someone's going to judge you, that's a big thing. I think middle school to high school is like I don't want to be judged, I don't want to be an outcast, I don't want to be different. Like I don't want to be judged, I don't want to be an outcast, I don't want to be different. And then that stops us from being who we are. You know who God created us to be.
Speaker 2:And so I think just go back each time you know that happened, be able to be like oh man, it's hurtful that she's being mean, but be like. But I know who I am. You know I'm a kind, kind person I'm. I work hard and continue to like kind of identify with who you truly are, instead of who, maybe, how that person is treating you, and I think that's really helped. But it doesn't take away from it's it's. It's a hard situation, you know. Sometimes you're like I don't know why they're being mean. So it's definitely hard, but I would say, just continue to be yourself, continue to own and be who you are.
Speaker 1:I love it. Such good questions. So I'm going to cap it off with one more question. If you guys have more questions, Allie, what is the best way to follow you? Where are you most active on social media?
Speaker 2:I have an Instagram so you can follow me Allie, underscore, aguilar one, and that's where I would say I post most. I'm not super active in general, but that's where you can follow me and kind of see what I'm doing and I'll probably post more when I'm playing this summer. I'm playing in June, july, august in Florida, so we're going to be playing a lot of games.
Speaker 1:So very cool. Well, I do have one more question. Talk us through your. What would you say is your greatest uh, mental routine or thing that helps you perform your best?
Speaker 2:Um, I think mental routine has definitely been built like over time, adding things to it or like subtracting Um, but for me, mentally, I would my training um, or my preparation before a game. Keeping that consistent is actually very mentally um, like helps me mentally. So I know that, like um, I I want, like, if we practice, you know, five days a week, I need a couple extra times where I work on my own set of ground balls, you know, and on my own like I want to get this flip right, like so things that I want to get right I set aside, you know, say, two times for defense, two times for hitting, and then keeping my routine the same when I go up to bat, like I'm not going to change that. So I'm trying to create like familiarity in my routines at practice, my routines before a game and my routine when I go up to bat. I kind of keep that the same.
Speaker 2:So I know I'm going back to something. So mentally it's very calming. Um, and then, yeah, I would just say when I'm feeling mentally like um, maybe down or something like during a game, I've learned to not like push it down and be like I'm not nervous, you know, or like I'm fine. I think that's worse for me and I think for everyone. It's like man, I'm feeling a little.
Speaker 2:I'm feeling, and I think for everyone it's like man, I'm feeling a little, I'm feeling nervous, you know, just like noticing it and like, okay, I'm feeling nervous, but that's okay, like I'm still going to go up there with what I got. It makes sense why I'm nervous. She throws really hard, you know, and kind of like letting that happen, versus like no, yeah, I'm fine. No, no worries, you know it's like no, you're not fine. So, yeah, keeping the same routines physically I think helps me mentally, and then just like letting myself feel what I'm feeling, um, is also really helpful.
Speaker 1:I love that, well cool. Well, if you guys have more questions, you can send them to me and we can get them to Allie, or you can reach out to Allie, follow her on Instagram. Uh, thank you guys so much, and Ali, thank you so much for your time. This was awesome. Thank you so much.