One of the best parts of doing a softball-centric website is getting to watch young players mature and develop, growing in confidence and abilities over time… and not just on the field.
This is an exciting time for 2021’s and ‘22’s as many are realizing their dreams and committing to universities and colleges to play at the next level. Sharing their stories is exciting for us as it’s a reward for all their hard work and it’s paid off!
Some, like Texas pitcher Ainsley Pemberton are also on that road to playing college ball, just a bit further out.
We profiled Ainsley, a 2024 Extra Elite 100 Top 10 honoree, last summer after she helped lead her Texas Glory 12U team a 5th place finish at PGF Nationals and was so impressive we named her the MVP of the age division.
You can read that article titled 2024 Extra Elite 100 Candidate Profile: Ainsley Pemberton Caps Off Summer with MVP Performance and see where the standout was at that point.
Which brings us to today… Ainsley was recently selected again as a Top 10 player in her class and in her bio we mentioned:
“This summer she was dominating: in 29 appearances, including 24 starts, she had 137 K’s in 108 innings with a 1.75 ERA and a .981 WHIP.
Who is this young talent? And what makes her one of the top freshman in the country?
We find out more about her in this Extra Star Power profile where Ainsley talks softball and what makes her “unique” and “stand out in a crowd!”
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Name: AINSLEY PEMBERTON
Hometown/State: Rockwall
Grad Year: 2024
Positions: P/1B
Club Team: Texas Glory – Naudin
School (City/ST): Rockwall High School
GPA: 5.1
Nickname: Red
Camps Attended: University of Texas and Oklahoma State University, along with a 5-Tool camp in Texas.
Since we profiled you 13 months ago, a lot has changed including the COVID-10 pandemic… how much has that made an impact in your life with changes in school and sports?
It made a pretty big impact on my life, because I missed a lot of events and opportunities. Such as the Colorado Sparkler and of course PGF, which I was really looking forward to. So I ended up staying home most of the time, and not really traveling anywhere like I usually would in the summer.
It seems like Texas (the state) was able to get a lot more softball in as opposed to some places like California where obviously PGF Nationals was cancelled this year… did it seem like, for the most part, it was like the previous summer (California events notwithstanding)?
I would say no because there were many weekends where there were really no tournaments available. We also got a really late start to the summer season due to all of the new precautions being made. So overall it was a lot different than last summer.
Coming into 14U as a first-year player, you didn’t seem to miss a beat… was it easier, harder or about what you expected?
I would say it’s about what I expected. I knew that I would have to face older teams and that I would have to continue to get better along with everyone else, in order to keep up with the fierce competition.
What was the highlight of your summer as far as softball goes?
The highlight of my summer would have to be the 16U tournament I played in on July 4th weekend. We got to enjoy the firework shows going on around us while we played and, even though we didn’t win the whole thing, we faced some pretty exciting competition and I believe we fought all the way to the very end.
How did you end up being a part of Texas Glory?
Well when I was going into my second year of 10U, I was searching to find a new team since I recently had left my old team. I joined a team called “AXE” coached by James Clem, who then decided it was best to switch to the Texas Glory organization. Then for my second year of 12u I joined Texas Glory 2024 coached by Lee Velazquez and now I’m on Texas Glory 14U – Naudin coached by Mariah Haywood. I have been a part of Texas Glory for a little over four years.
What would you say is your “out” pitch?
I truly believe pitching involves having a variety of different pitches and skills. I would say all of my pitches would be considered my “out” pitch because there is a different “out” pitch for every situation.
Last year when we profiled you, you had a 4.7 GPA (5.0 scale) and were taking Pre-AP classes… How are you doing academically and any idea what you’d like to study in college or do for a career?
I’m doing very well so far in high school. I’m in the middle of my first term currently with all straight A’s and a 5.1 GPA. I would love to become a softball coach or specifically a pitching coach, and therefore I’m looking into studying kinesiology and biomechanics in college.
You have a bit of time before the recruiting process really starts… have you been to any college camps or visited campuses unofficially?
In the past I have been to a few college camps, but since the pandemic I’ve mainly just focused on my pitching mechanics and athletic skills, so that I can be ready for any recruiting event.
Scroll down read more about Ainsley and what makes her “unique!”
