Sports can be an escape, a way to express yourself, a connection within yourself, or even just a way to get away from the real world. Many athletes have a deep connection to their sports and play for something bigger than themselves. Madison (Maddie) Collins is a senior at Norwalk High school and is apart of the softball team here at our school. She started playing when she was 5 years old on a t-ball team but then joined Norwalk Youth Softball on the “Violets” where her love for this sport began.
In her early years of playing, she chose number 56 after her dad who used to wear that number. It stuck with her through every team she played on. “I really learned to love the sport at a young age,” Maddie tells us. Her dad was a big factor in the way that her pushed her at such a young age to develop talent and passion. Coach Shawn, Maddie’s dad, was her 10u coach on the Norwalk Zoomers where true competition began on the field. Although having her dad as her coach was difficult at times, he cared for the development of herself and the other girls on the team because he wanted to make them great.
Transitioning into more skilled age divisions, Maddie found her love for the mound. Maddie actually started her career behind the plate as a catcher however, that did not stick too long because she found her real home as a pitcher. “I think the most important part of being a pitcher is attitude and leadership. You have your team behind you at all times and you’re being counted on to be at your best. You learn to love the pressure and success,” Maddie tells us. She also believes that trust is the most important part of her position. You need to be able to have trust in your defense and the people behind you and that is something Maddie finds herself adapting well to as she continues to become more experienced in the game.
Now, as a senior captain for Norwalk High, her favorite part of playing with the team is the culture and the bond that exists with everyone. “A lot of us have known each other since we were little so it’s really great that we all get to play together through high school… We don’t only play together well on the field, but we are always there for each other off the field no matter who it is or what the situation is.” This comes to show that she plays for her teammates and pushes through the challenges she faces for something bigger like the success of her team.
This past 23′ season Maddie wore a pink ribbon in her hair for every single game to represent one of the WHO’s in her sport and why she continues, that being her mom. In May 2022, her mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and after that Maddie says she, “has a different outlook on a lot of things that occurred within her life.” Even when her mom became cancer free, she continued to wear the ribbon as a way to show through softball, how much love she has for her mom.
