RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
Not too many high school players have had a year like Jazzy Francik has had in 2022.
The standout pitcher led her Melbourne High team to a Florida 6A state championship and won a slew of honors—from being an Extra Inning Softball 1st Team All-American to being tabbed as the MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year (2022) and the Gatorade State Player of the Year.
And all of this as an underclassman… quite impressive.
A 2024 Extra Elite 100 honoree, Jazzy also shined at the club level for Coach Jerry Shepherd, the founder of the Florida Storm organization and head man for the 18U Florida Storm National Team who remembers the exact moment his prized pitcher committed to Florida State University..
“Jazzy committed to FSU on her official trip, making it her last visit,” he recalls. “She was so excited, she called me when telling (Head) Coach (Lonni) Alameda.”
The ACC-bound Floridian, who we also profiled in May of 2022 in The Last Inning, is one of the many standouts Coach Shepherd has produced in his long and illustrious career and he sees in Jazzy a bright future.
“I’ve coached fastpitch for 30 years,” he explains, “and have seen many great pitchers in my time. Many, like Jazzy, have gone on to Power 5 programs and have been extremely successful. It’s impressive what she’s already accomplished—Jazzy was the National Sophomore Player of the year and the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year amongst all of her other rewards she has received—and I see a big future for her too.”
Here’s a closer look at the talented pitcher including what she loved about FSU to make it her future collegiate softball home…
Name: JASMINE “JAZZY” FRANCIK
Hometown/ST: Rockledge, Fla.
Grad Year: 2024
Position(s): RHP
Club Team: Florida Storm National 18U – Shepherd
High School (City/ST): Melbourne (Fla.) High
GPA: 3.95/4.46
College: Florida State
Preferred College Major: undecided (considering Sports Engineering).
Top Honors/Accomplishments:
- Extra Inning Softball 1st Team All-American
- MaxPreps 1st Team All-American
- MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year (2022)
- MaxPreps Florida Player of the Year
- Gatorade Player of the Year for Florida (2022)
- Florida 6A State Champion Player of the Year
- Florida Dairy Farmers Player of the Year
- Florida Dairy Farmers 6A Player of the Year
- Club Play: Led her team to 2nd place at the 2022 USA Summer Gold Nationals (Oklahoma City) and 2022 GoldStar Elite Showcase champions (undefeated).
- Top Stats: In the 2022 high school season had 19 wins, a 0.16 ERA with 251 K’s in 129 innings pitched; limited opponents’ batting average to .075 and had four no-hitters and two perfect games.
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Let’s start with the fun stuff… when and how did you commit to the Seminoles?
Florida State was my top choice and I committed on my official visit which was set up during our Zoom meeting on September 1st.
How did the FSU coaches first find you and what was it that made them the place where you wanted to go?
They first noticed me at a multi-school camp around two years ago. Since then, I have been to several Florida State camps and they came to watch my team in events around the country.
Everything about the Florida State program is what made me know it was the best fit for me: awesome coaches, a strong softball program, beautiful facilities, great academics, perfect location and a culture that suits my personality perfectly. I just knew I could call it my home away from home!
How far away from FSU do you live?
It is just under a five-hour drive.
When did you visit the official campus visit and what stuck out to you most on your trip?
I went on my official visit September 23rd and committed during the visit. The camaraderie amongst the players and coaches and the friendly, family-like vibe stuck out to me most.
Did you take any other official visits?
I had several other visits and I think the hardest part of the recruiting process is getting back to coaches to let them know that you are committing elsewhere.
Who first gave you the nickname “Jazzy?”
My first pitching coach… he gave all his students nicknames! At first, I was “The Jazzinator” but as you can imagine that is a little hard to say so it transitioned into “Jazzy.” Now everyone calls me “Jazzy.”
What’s been the highlight of your softball career, would you say?
I think the highlight would have to be winning states last year but also when I was awarded Gatorade Player of the Year for Florida. It felt like a huge honor because the award incorporates all aspects of the student-athlete—athletic, academic and character.
What would you say are your strengths on the field? (and/or what do the club and/or college coaches say they like about your game?)
Coaches compliment my command of the strike zone utilizing multiple pitches which I throw at different speeds, but what I hear most often is comments on the movement of my pitches.
Do you—or have you—played other sports?
Reaching for the dream to pitch in the Women’s College World Series while keeping my GPA where I like it, it doesn’t allow for time to play another sport!
Do you have any softball superstitions?
I have several, one is the way I turn around in the circle. I change my direction depending on whether I was happy or not with my previous pitch. As well as always grabbing clay or chalk before each pitch.
What’s been the most embarrassing moment you’ve had–or you’ve seen–on the softball fields?
One time back when I was in 12U, my team was not playing on the best field and when I landed my pitch, I knocked out a huge chunk of cement from under the clay and landed on my knees. When I picked it up and handed it to the umpire, he looked very confused and stood looking at it for what seemed a very long time!
If you had to describe yourself in one word, what would it be on-field? Off the field?
On the field: “focused.” Off the field: “motivated.”
What softball goals do you want to reach before you go to FSU?
I write my goals on a chart; when I reach a certain goal, I scratch it off and write down a new one. There is always another milestone to reach so I will continue, before going to FSU and while there, to set new goals with each one I scratch off. Pitching is an endless process, so goals are limitless. My ultimate goal is to be the best pitcher I can be.
How impacted were you and your family by Hurricane Ian?
Not as much as many of my fellow Floridians; fortunately, our house is somewhat elevated so we did not get any flooding. We only lost power for a few days.
If you could magically meet someone—living or dead—who would it be?
I would like to meet my grandfather. He passed away long before I was born and I only know about him from my Mum’s stories and from photos. I think he and I would have been great friends!
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the world today?
Being a member of the UNICEF club at my high school, I would have to say global poverty. Around two thirds of the population affected by poverty are children and youth. Poverty has detrimental consequences for children and youth—from hunger and ill health to lack of accessible education. They are the future of our world.
What do you want to do for a career after your playing days are through?
That’s a tough one, I would love to have a career involving the game of softball, so perhaps some form of coaching or biomechanics career.
EXTRA INSIGHTS:
What’s your favorite softball item (like preferred bat, glove, etc.)?
My pitching wall.
Favorite item(s) in your closet:
FSU shirts and Roxy shirts.
Favorite school subject:
AP Calculus.
Best way to unwind is…
Reading a good book and listening to music.
What’s playing in your earbuds right now?
A ton of different country songs.
Celebrity you’d like most to hang out with…
Mike Trout or Serena Williams
Calories aside, what food could you eat and never get sick of?
Chocolate ice cream.
What drives you to play the game of softball?
Everything about the game! When I step into the circle, wipe the clay with my hand, size up my batter and settle in to deliver a pitch—with my teammates in the field—there is a feeling I cannot describe, for lack of a better word an AWESOME feeling. That feeling drives me to play softball.
What have you learned most about yourself over the last year or two?
I have learned that while I might not (due to my personality) be the loudest on the field, my composure and poise in the circle is my way of being a leader on my team.
Who inspires you (athletically & non-athletically):
Athletically: Cat Osterman.
Non-athletically: My parents.
When you leave the sport, how do you want to be remembered and what will you do when you’re finished playing to help grow the game?
I would love to be remembered as a motivated, selfless teammate who is always looking to improve. Currently, I coach younger athletes for volunteer hours and enjoy giving back to the game.
When it is my time to hang up my glove, I hope I am able to inspire younger athletes to get involved and stay involved in the game of softball so as to help the game grow.