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Division 1 softball player Kennedy Thomas has managed to balance her life as both a student and an athlete at UC Berkeley. She has experienced what it is like for college athletes before and after the pandemic and knows what it takes to play at the highest collegiate level. We recently sat down with Kennedy to talk about her experiences at a PAC12 program and playing softball after a pandemic. 

Club vs. College 

Thomas's club team and college team are more similar than you would think. She grew up having her dad as her coach, who used to coach football (used similar coaching methods with Thomas's team–disciplined and strict). The culture of both teams is similar because of the shared work ethic needed to excel in both environments. In Thomas's opinion, travel ball prepared her very well for the past two years of her college experience. 

COVID workouts 

Although the pandemic canceled Thomas's season in 2020, she still had multiple resources that allowed her to stay fit while being away from her program. Thomas consistently lifted weights her dad had available and would hit the batting cages around her town. Kennedy mentioned that she “got really lucky with her resources,” and the opportunities to be around equipment that helped her stay fit. Over the summer, she continued to grind, so she could be at her best when it was time to head back to school to compete. 

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After COVID Season 

Thomas's team returned from winter break on December 28, 2020, and only had a month together to practice and get used to playing with one another before the start of the 2021 season. She had a whole new team and coaching staff she met that day. Kennedy would describe the experience as being “really hard since softball is all about chemistry and is a game of failure.” The goal is to get “into a rhythm before you start the season.” It was tricky because the schools they competed against on the other side of the country had been practicing all Fall because they didn't have such a strict pandemic protocol as California schools. She felt a bit behind and sometimes questioned being there. The thought of the season getting canceled once again would have been a letdown. 

During the season, Thomas's team was shut down three different times because of COVID and missed more than 20 games. She was not used to it at all, but it has gotten much better since the spring of 2021. They are currently in season and things have started to return back to normal. Covid ruined so much of Thomas's softball experience, but she has chosen to be optimistic regardless. 

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Berkeley Love

Kennedy's favorite part about being a student-athlete at UC Berkeley is the people she meets. She would describe herself as very outgoing, so she loved meeting other athletes that understood what she was going through. College is the time to be around people you genuinely like and she has found her people who have substance and personality. 

Word of advice 

A piece of advice Kennedy has for future recruits is to not give up when reaching out to coaches. Wait for your time and take advantage of the opportunities that come your way like Kennedy did–she got recruited when she played for another team as a guest player. Keep doing you and playing the game that you know how to play. Continue to grind, stay motivated, and be patient. The right opportunity will come, “You got to grind like you are already in college.”

Photo by: UC Berkeley Athletics 

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* Originally published on April 7, 2022, by Daesha Harper