RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
This is a beautiful story of everything right about club softball and the relationship between a coach and player.
Moriah Polar is a Top 10-ranked player in the 2023 Extra Elite 100 and on September 1, the first day college coaches could reach out to current juniors, she received 28 phone calls from college coaches that had scouted her. Ultimately, factoring in academics as well as athletics, she chose Purdue and the Big Ten (note: the Boilermakers had one of the best recruiting classes in the nation this year for the Class of ’22).
The prototype triple threat leadoff hitter who already has college-level range in the outfield, Moriah has been playing softball since age 5 and, amazing, she’s been playing with the same coach, Steve Jones, who now heads her Impact Gold National travel ball team out of Texas.
“Moriah has been the leadoff hitter and centerfielder for my teams since she started select ball at 8 years of age after she played for me in league beginning at 5 years of age,” explains Coach Jones.
“I often tell the story of the little skinny 5-year-old wearing baggy softball pants who was not able to catch a hand-thrown pop up, but was resilient, unafraid and clearly eager to learn which was evident even at that young age. Moriah was impressive enough that I took her on and a year later every coach in the league wanted her.
A natural righty, she hit from that side in league coach-pitch until shortly before she moved to select ball kid-pitch full time.
“I gave Moriah her first slapping lesson just as we were preparing for our league team’s last 8U tournament–a successful run in 8U Select Nationals in Florida,” says Jones. “I think she questioned me about this whole idea of moving to the left box thing when we first did it!”
“However, with her natural athleticism, speed, intelligence and coachability it was a no-brainer decision. And thankfully her dad—whom I had recently enlisted to help with our new 8U all star team—trusted me to do what was right for her. The rest is proverbial history. From the skinny unskilled 5-year-old to the athletic, speedy, graceful triple threat and one of the most skilled players in the country at 16, there was no doubt the day would come that a cadre of college coaches would be knocking on her door.”
Humble yet possessing the confidence to ask for help in researching what colleges had to offer, Moriah went on visits and attended elite camps at several top programs and fielded calls with several others.
“Academics was just as high on her priority list as the quality of the softball program and its coaching staff,” continues Jones. “Balancing the considerations for making a decision can be daunting for players and their families when comparing schools: size of scholarship offer, value of degree, academic profile, geography, quality of facilities, program success, team culture, coaches’ philosophies/style, etc. Purdue was probably what many would have considered an underdog to nab her, but they checked the box in so many of these categories that it was difficult for Moriah and her family to ignore.”
Coach Jones explains that he was a resource for the family and served as an advisor and advocate helping the Polar family see the pros and cons of each school.
“Moriah and her family searched for the best fit for her and that just happened to be a great school and program in Purdue University,” he adds. “Academically, they are a stellar institution whose graduates fair well after graduation. Their coaching staff, including Coach Boo (De Oliveira) and Coach (Dorian) Shaw in particular, has a wonderful reputation for being players’ coaches and caring about their players and they exude that when interacting with them.”
“They loved her and she loved them and Purdue got a great one in this young lady—the program got much better with this decision.”
Here’s our conversation with Moriah and her reflections going back to those very young days in the sport, where she is today and what she looks forward to doing down the road…
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We love this photo (above)! What’s happening here in this photo at 6U, any idea? Were you wanting Coach Steve to give you his ring? Did he promise that if you homered, he’d give you the bling?
I love this photo as well! This is actually a picture of Coach Steve showing me where to make contact with the ball. The focal point is his fist, not necessarily the ring. He just happened to be rocking a boulder that day! (laughs)
What first got you into softball, you were so young! What was it about the sport that you loved so much?
Initially, I started off playing tee-ball at the Dad’s Club when I was 5. It just so happened that my Dad and I noticed some softball games on nearby fields on the way to one of my tee-ball games. Once I joined softball, my passion for the sport grew with every single practice.
Coach Steve made this easy for me, as he used softball as a segue to mold us into the best young ladies that we could be. The principles that I learned as a five-year-old are the same ones that he instills in each player that joins our family.
For us, softball has always been more than just a game. It brings together a loving environment and group of diverse people from all types of backgrounds. It teaches you how to be selfless, a team player, and even encourages self-love. It provides me with a sense of belonging, familiarity, morals to live by, and personal growth that came along with my journey. Softball became my saving grace through my hardships and will continue to be my passion.
Your relationship with Coach Jones… talk about that and what he’s meant to you on and off the field?
Coach Steve has always been more than just a coach to me. He is a mentor, coach, father-figure, and best friend all in one. Coach Steve saw potential in me at a very young age and invested in my journey. We always laugh at the memory of my first softball tryout (it was pretty brutal!). I couldn’t catch a popup (I think the ball even hit me in the face), but one thing was clear, I was not scared of the ball!
He said that other coaches outwardly laughed when he drafted me! From the second I joined his team, though, he has raised me like one of his own children. His dedication, commitment to excellence, his attention to detail, and his strong principles helped mold me into the person that I am today! He took care of me when it was needed, and I am forever grateful to have a coach that loves and cares about me so deeply.
What’s been a highlight or two for you in your fastpitch career, be it club, high school or another level?
A highlight for me would definitely be making the 8U Pearland “Power” team after being on “Force” for a season. Making the top team and winning a state championship is something that contributed to my optimism as a young player and opened my eyes to what I could become.
Another highlight would be my first home run over the fence, which happened during a high school softball tournament. I had a full count with runners on first and second. A changeup was thrown to me, and I drove the ball to deep centerfield. Running around the bases with a huge grin on my face and sharing that moment with my high school teammates brought tears to my eyes. The support that I receive from them is more than enough motivation to keep me working as hard as I do.
Conversely, what’s been a challenge or two? Have you had injuries or been cut ever? Seen dissension or in-fighting on teams? Anything that’s been tough but you’ve learned from?
Dealing with a hip injury my freshman year was probably the most challenging obstacle throughout my softball career. Having to rest for nine months was tortuous, as softball was one of the only constants in my daily routine up to that point. That injury not only forced me to take a break from softball, but allowed me to discover more about myself and solidify my love for the game of softball. I really think I mostly missed competing and helping the girls that I love. From this injury, I learned to better understand my body, and also how to deal with adversity.
Moriah’s father adds: I think not making the Pearland Power team (early in her career) was a huge motivating factor for her. I remember her being super focused and working really hard in order to get better and become one of the best players in her age group. It meant a lot to her to be able to not only make the Power team, but bat leadoff, play center field and be a huge contributor.
Talk about the recruiting process: what was it like and what did you learn about it… and yourself?
I approached September 1st with zero expectations. Waking up for school in the morning to over 20 texts from coaches was extremely rewarding. The recruitment process as a whole was a product of the hard work that I have put in up to that point, and there was nothing better than seeing it pay off.
I spent the remainder of my day after school and practice responding to text messages and chatting with coaches over the phone. I got a chance to get to know a ton of great coaches on a personal level. Some days after that were long and I would be on the phone with coaches all the way until 10:30 at night.
Through conversations with several coaches, I learned not only how important it is to find a school that loves you, but a school that you love as well. Before being asked some questions about myself, I never took the time to reflect on what I loved to do outside of softball and how I would describe my game. These conversations drove me to research universities and better understand myself.
The recruiting process was by far one of the most difficult (yet rewarding) processes I have ever been through. I certainly grew better as a person during that time.
What did Purdue have that won you over?
Everything about Purdue felt like it was destined for me. From the second Coach Maggie (Frezzotti) picked me up from the airport, I knew where I wanted to be.
Purdue’s coaching staff consists of genuine, diverse, passionate, and all-around great people. The softball community feels like one big family, and the coaches’ dedication towards their student-athletes’ success is like no other. The facilities were stunning, they have a multitude of traditions, and West-Lafayette is filled with amazing individuals.
The college town prioritizes the safety of their students, and every single Purdue alumnus loves to brag about their college experience. Purdue has its own quirks that make the university one of a kind and the campus radiated great energy that I gravitated towards and never wanted to leave.
Everything from the ping pong matches during the football tailgate to seeing bikes in random trees made me feel like I was exactly where I was meant to be.
How important are academics to you in balance with softball? And what do you want to study?
Academics has always been something that I’m passionate about. Having a great degree to reflect my dedication towards academics over the years is extremely important to me. I am looking forward to studying finance or accounting at Purdue. My love for numbers and mathematics is something that makes this decision easy.
Finally, what advice would you have for young players coming up who will be recruiting?
A few pieces of advice that I would give to anyone approaching the recruitment process is to stay true to yourself. Don’t ever try to change who you are to impress anybody in the audience. Authenticity will attract the school that will genuinely make you happy. Keep an open mind and approach every opportunity with gratitude. Don’t take these last few years of select ball for granted.