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[Morgan Zerkle @mzerkleee]

Yesterday was a tough day at the plate.

I hit a riseball (NiJa’s might I add) on the ground to 2nd base… If I was coaching I would’ve told my athletes it was a good miss. As a player, I wanted to scream.

Later on in the game I hit an outside drop ball in the air to left field… once again, I would’ve said it was a good miss. As a player all I could think about was that I stranded the tying run at 2nd base & failed my team.

I say this because I’m 20+ years into this sport & still learning to trust the process. To expect more but not overthink & go crazy. Softball is so dang hard some days.

But I sure am grateful for another day!

[Sagamore Athletic Conference @SagAthleticConf]

🏆 2026 SAGAMORE CONFERENCE SOFTBALL — FIRST TEAM 🥎
Congratulations to the student-athletes named to this year's All-Conference First Team! Well done to every honoree and their school. 👏 #SagamoreConference #AllConference

[Ethan Hanson @EthanAHanson]

Indiana high school basketball: In the glory of McCutcheon winning its second straight 4A regional championship, Lillie Graves ran straight to her injured teammate and lifelong friend Ameria Gibson. @Lady_Mavs_Bball
https://t.co/FQdVMGX6yd

[DK🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸 @1Nicdar]

130 schools said no.
He led the losingest program in college football history to a national championship anyway.
Fernando Mendoza was a 2-star recruit from Miami.

He tried to walk on at his hometown school. They passed.
So did FIU.
So did FAU.
So did everyone else.

At 17, he was sitting in his bedroom, crying over a silent recruiting inbox—after driving to 18 camps with his dad and sending highlights to more than 100 programs.
Not one FBS offer.
His only option? Yale. No scholarship. No NFL path.

Everyone told him to be “realistic.”
“Know your place.”
“Be grateful.”
He didn’t listen.
Because Mendoza understood something most people miss:
The worst outcome isn’t failing.
It’s never getting the chance to try.

Two weeks before signing day in 2022, his phone rang.
Cal needed a body. One offer. Out of 134 schools.
He took it.
He arrived as the third-string quarterback.
Spent a year on the scout team.
Lost his first four starts.
Got sacked 41 times behind a broken offensive line.

Still got up. Every time.
Then Cal brought in a transfer instead of building around him.
So Mendoza left the only school that had ever said yes.
He transferred to Indiana—the losingest program in college football history.

People laughed.
“Career suicide.”
“Graveyard program.”
“Nobody wins there.”
One coach told him something different:
“I’m going to make you the best Fernando Mendoza possible.”
That was enough.
Mendoza wasn’t just playing for football.
His mother has battled multiple sclerosis for 18 years.

Before every snap, he thought of her.
“My mother is my why.”
Indiana went 16–0.
Beat six Top-10 teams.
Won their first Big Ten title since 1945.
Mendoza threw 41 touchdowns.
Won the Heisman—first in school history.
First Cuban-American to ever do it.

Then came the title game.
Miami. Near his hometown.
Fourth-and-4. Season on the line.
Quarterback draw.
The kid 134 schools rejected spun through defenders and dove into the end zone.

Game over.
Indiana—national champions.
The losingest program became the best team in America.
All because a 17-year-old refused to believe “no” was the end.

Rankings don’t decide your ceiling.
Gatekeepers don’t write your ending.
Being overlooked isn’t a verdict—it’s a starting point.

Sometimes all you need is one shot…
and the courage to bet on yourself when nobody else will.
Don’t quit.

Credit: Barclay Mullins

[The Bible @The__Bible7]

Matthew 6:33

[Amanda @CoachBo_01]

@HeismanTrophy I want to vote for #FernandoMendoza

[Holy Bible @Holy__Bible1]

Matthew 6:33

[Jeff Janssen @janssenleader]

CHOOSE YOUR HARD
#CultureWins

[Coach Jennifer Turner @CAASoftballAdv]

💬 To the athletes who didn’t get a September 1st call… this is for you.

The truth is, the majority of 2027s did not get a call on September 1st. Statistics show that fewer than 10–15% of athletes nationwide heard from a college coach that day. That means if your phone didn’t ring, you’re standing with the overwhelming majority.

And here’s the good news: your journey is far from over.
Recruiting isn’t a one-day event. It’s a process that unfolds over months—and for many, years. Coaches are still figuring out their needs, and the opportunities are still out there waiting for the right athletes who are consistent, proactive, and resilient.

👉 September 1st isn’t the finish line—it’s just the starting gun.
👉 The calls you didn’t get yesterday don’t define the athlete, leader, and teammate you can be tomorrow.
👉 Every email you send, every rep you put in, and every game you play is another chance to be seen.

Stay locked in. Stay patient. Stay hungry.
Because the athletes who keep showing up—day after day—are the ones who eventually get the “yes.”

💡 Your phone not ringing doesn’t mean your dream is dead. It means your story is still being written.

[Maverick Softball @mav_softball]

We are holding our 2nd Annual Car Wash Fundraiser! We had so much fun last year we had to do it again! Come out support these ladies and get your car sparkly clean! Go Mavs! 🥎

[Shonda Stanton @CoachStanton]

Indiana Softball is seeking involvement with several opportunities within the program as interns, managers & bullpen catchers. Gain experience and be a part of an incredible program.

[Jon Gordon @JonGordon11]

Commitments > Goals.

[Malikia Alois @MalikiaAlois]

Thank you @TrollsSoftball for the amazing camp today! Had a great conversation with @elister22 and can’t wait to learn more!

[Coach AJ 🎯 Mental Fitness @coachajkings]

WHY CONSISTENCY WINS:
1. It builds habits - your effort becomes automatic.
2. It builds trust - your team knows what to expect.
3. It builds results - your hard work compounds over time.

Anyone can be great for a day and show up.

The best are consistent and show up every day.

[Sports Psychology @SportPsychTips]

Six ways to lead by example:
1. Show up early
2. Work hard
3. Have a positive attitude
4. Listen to your coaches
5. Put the team first
6. Make good decisions off the field