May 8th, 2020
by Caroline Lane
(Caroline Lane is a mass communication major and a 2020 graduate of JSCC. She played softball with the Jackson State Green Jays and will continue her softball and collegiate careers in West Virginia.)
Gracie Osbron did not always see herself playing at a junior college. However, now she would not have it any other way.
When Osbron was 15 she committed to play softball at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, one of the most elite and successful softball programs in history. "I had always dreamt of going to play Division I softball," she said.
However, after spending a year in Knoxville, Osbron started to have doubts about what she truly wanted. After this past fall semester, she transferred to Jackson State Community College.
"After the Super Regional against Florida is when it really hit me...I was way too happy to be done with the season," Osbron said.
Tennessee softball lost the series in the final game two to one. Osbron was not regretful at the end of the season because she had performed well on the field. According to the National College Athletic Association, as a pure freshman, Osbron started in 37 out of the 44 games she played. Her batting average was .202 and she had a .969 fielding percentage.
Even with these numbers, something still did not sit right with Osbron. "I would not get out of bed, go to class, hang with friends, and my grades started to slip." Osbron said. After taking some time and talking to people she trusted, she made up her mind that it was time to leave. Osbron entered the transfer portal. So, what made her pick a junior college?
Before her first year in Knoxville, Osbron suffered a gruesome leg injury. It gave her problems throughout the season. Since being at Jackson State she feels like she gets more time to recover. "I feel so much better physically and mentally on the field," Osbron said. Getting more time to recover has given her the chance to heal in all aspects of her life.
One of the main reasons Osbron decided to transfer to a smaller school was because she felt like she already had the "big school" experience. Spending time with her family, friends and having time for herself are just a few of the things Osbron gets to enjoy more since moving to Jackson. "I have really seen a change in myself. I feel 100 times better and happier with myself. The growth I have seen from myself in such a short period of time is amazing," Osbron said. It was not on the field, but when she was eating in her apartment with her friends, that it really hit her how happy she was with her new life.
Being a Division 1 transfer can bring a lot of talk in the softball community. When word got around about Gracie Osbron transferring to a junior college, many people thought it was because she got in trouble in Knoxville. That was not the case, though. She felt that Jackson was her best option.
"People are always going to talk, but I knew I had to put my head down and focus on this season," Osbron said. If you ask Jackson State softball head coach, Taylor Moore, that is exactly what Osbron did. "Gracie is a relentless player with lots of passion for the game," Moore said. Osbron came out hot for Jackson and helped the team out tremendously. Coming from a DI school, "she brought a tempo, leadership and attitude that was needed this season to give us that edge," Moore said. Before the season was cut short, the National Junior College Athletic Association showed Osbron hitting .400, and she was second in the nation with six triples.
Relationships are a major priority to Osbron, so the connection she has with her teammates is extremely important to her. Since playing for Jackson, Osbron has quickly developed a strong relationship with her team. "The biggest difference for me has been that I felt more trusted on the field by my coach and teammates," Osbron said. While she said she loved her teammates in Knoxville, she felt an instant connection with every player at Jackson and never felt like the "new kid" or left out.
Lights, cameras, sold-out crowds, and autographs are something every young athlete dreams about. While only some get to live out that dream, others may find joy in something a little less flashy. Dreams come in different shapes and sizes. Gracie Osbron's came in the form of a junior college while falling back in love with the game of softball.
Osbron gets ready to take third base in the Green Jays' home opener against Cleveland State
With the season being taken away by the coronavirus, Osbron has decided to come back and play at Jackson State for one more year. "Division I all the way to a junior college. It does not matter. We all have the same love, passion and desire for the game, and I can say that from experience. At the end of the day it does not matter as long as you love what you are doing," Osbron said.