RANKINGS
EXTRA EXTRA
Advertising Opportunities
COLLEGE
ABOUT
(L-R: Ella McDowell, Baylee Klingler, Cameryn Harrison)
Ella McDowell thought her dream was slipping through her fingers.
It was day one of the High Performance Program (HPP) National Selection Event in Vero Beach, Fla., in late November of this past year and through uncontrollable circumstances McDowell arrived late for the opening day of events.
“We got to Florida and I’m super excited and the first day you get all your equipment, and you have meetings with members of Team USA. And I’m thinking wow, I’m not going to make the team because I was late, and they think I’m lazy.”
For some, arriving late would alter their attitude and affect their performance during the event. For McDowell, it had the exact opposite effect as she became even more intent on securing a spot on the USA Softball U-18 Women’s National Team.
“It was good to see so much talent there and honestly, I didn’t really feel any pressure. It was more like this is so much fun and there are so many good players here and I’m just happy to be among them.”
Over the course of the next four days McDowell did what she does best – perform at a high level and have fun.
By the time she left Florida and returned home to Richmond, Texas, McDowell believed she had done enough to warrant consideration for inclusion on the team.
“I felt like I had fun, and I was myself and at the end of day that’s all it really matters to me. So, I was content with that, and I didn’t think I was too shabby. I got a couple hits here and there and I think I did alright.”
Her first indicator that her belief was well founded came in the form of being named one of the top performers at the national selection event.
The ultimate validation came in an email weeks later from USA Softball informing her that she had been selected to the USA Softball U-18 Women’s National Team.
“I was in school when I got the email from USA Softball that said I had made the team. I opened the email, and my face was on a poster and I’m thinking what are we doing. This is insane.”
For McDowell, the inspiration for playing for Team USA, and potentially playing in the Olympics, came from two sources.
The first was Impact Gold CEO and President Jazz Jackson Vesely and the other was her childhood idol Raven Chavanne who played for Tennessee.
“I had heard about the HPP on social media, and I asked Jazz if this was legitimate. She said it was and encouraged me to sign up and be a part of it. And it just kind of went from there and thankfully I’ve been blessed with this opportunity.”
In her lifetime, McDowell has only seen one Olympic Games in which softball was a sport and that was the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, so it is understandable that representing Team USA was not on her radar.
Through research, McDowell discovered that Chavanne competed for Team USA in 2013, 2014 and 2015 and won gold medals twice at the World Cup of Softball.
Thus, the dream was born.
“I didn’t even know that softball was ever part of the Olympics when I was growing up. But my favorite player was Raven Chavanne who was a four-time All-American at Tennessee. I saw that she played on Team USA and that softball in the Olympics was a big deal. I wanted to be just like her growing up and now I have the chance to live my dream.”
McDowell is one of 16 players selected to represent the United States at the World Cup Group Stage event in Dallas, Texas on August 29–September 2.
Rest assured, McDowell will have fun representing the Red, White and Blue.
*****
Ella McDowell has heard the whispers through the years while competing in travel ball and high school.
She’s the annoying one.
It is a label that she wears proudly.
“It’s kind of my brand at this point but I love celebrating my teammates success. I love being loud and obnoxious because I don’t care what other people think of me. I just want to win and have fun.”
McDowell stands out on the field for many reasons, not the least of which is the enthusiasm she brings to the diamond. She is a vocal leader and will unabashedly celebrate the achievements of her teammates.
Spend time with McDowell and it becomes apparent the enthusiasm she displays on the field is not manufactured, but rather is a product of how she carries herself in life.
She is bright, funny and has an infectious personality and all those characteristics shine brightly during a game, and it has always been that way.
McDowell’s first foray into ball and bat sports was not in softball, but rather in baseball. Once she was told she could no longer play baseball she gravitated to softball, and she hasn’t looked back.
Her path eventually led her to the Impact Gold Fastpitch program where she began a relationship that would help to transform her into one of the top players in the country.
Currently a member of Impact Gold Jackson 18U, McDowell cites the coaching staff and the players she competes with as having greatly impacted her career.
“I honestly think this is one of the best organizations in softball, if not the best. Jazz does such a great job of recruiting kids and making sure all the teams get everything we need to be successful, and she is just on top of her game. I would run through a brick wall for Jazz.
“We have so many great coaches at Impact Gold and it’s just one big family. I’m lucky that I got blessed with this organization.”
A great coaching staff combined with great players surrounding her have helped to elevate McDowell’s game.
“We have a bunch of DI Power 5 kids on our team and so when you go to practice every day it is a competition not only with yourself but with the person standing next to you. That environment combined with wanting to be better and coaches that push you to excel from 10U all the way up to 18U has been invaluable for my development. We want to be the best so we have to work at it and I think our coaches do a great job instilling discipline into us.”
Another area that has greatly helped McDowell came courtesy of her father Shaun McDowell during the COVID shutdown.
Not surprisingly, the high-energy McDowell knew she needed an outlet and she found one in the weight room.
“I just had nothing to do all day and I needed something that was going to challenge me. My dad built me these racks like a bench and a squat rack out of some cement and plywood. I got a barbell and I learned how to bench, deadlift, squat and it just went from there.
“On the field I’m just so much stronger which has helped me. I think I look great and when you look great you feel like good things are going to happen. It’s all just a mindset.”
Wooo Pig 🐗
The No. 3 player in the class of 2024 is a Hog pic.twitter.com/AiMCDrJJ4V
— Arkansas Softball (@RazorbackSB) November 9, 2023
The past few months have been hectic for McDowell as she made her official announcement to attend the University of Arkansas, participated in the HPP National Selection Event and was named to the USA Softball U-18 Women’s National Team.
“It’s all been such a blessing. Getting to sign with the University of Arkansas, that’s not something you get to do every single day. Go and play with some of the best kids in the nation and they think I have a friendly face, so they put me on a team. I’m like, hey, that’s awesome I’m here for it. I’m just super grateful and I’m just taking it all in one day at a time It’s been life-changing honestly.”
With a chance to exhale, McDowell is looking forward to competing in her final seasons for Foster High School and Impact Gold Jackson 18U.
*****
Ella McDowell was ranked third overall in the Extra Inning Softball 2024 Class rankings and with that lofty ranking came an intense competition to procure her talents.
Suitors for McDowell included Tennessee, Oklahoma State and Florida State, but ultimately McDowell decided that the University of Arkansas was the best fit for her.
COPYRIGHT © 2024 Extra Inning Softball TM
Check out our other EIS links: