The Top 15 Softball Stories of 2019: #12… National High School Player of the Year Sydney Supple Spearheads Hometown Field of Dreams

By @BruntjensElla

Northwestern freshman Sydney Supple at the ribbon-cutting ceremony in October, 2019 with young softball players who also got to enjoy a free pitching clinic put on my the high school All-American. Photo by Emil Vajgrt.

We continue our list of the Top 15 Softball Stories of 2019, which will run through December 31^st when we’ll present our No. 1 story of the year.

Here are the previous stories (clink on link to read):

We’ve surveyed the softball community and talked internally as well to come up with what were the most impactful and relevant stories of the year pertaining to the world of fastpitch softball.

Where applicable, we are providing links to the original articles and/or references when the story first happened.

Click Here to See the Top 15 Stories of 2018!

Today’s story… #12: Sydney Supple from Oshkosh, Wisconsin had a remarkable high school and club career, winning national and state championships and being named as the Extra Inning Softball 2019 National Player of the Year before beginning her college career at Northwestern this fall. However, Syd’s lasting legacy will live on off the field as she spearheaded the building of a softball “Field of Dreams” that young softball players will get to enjoy for generations to come.

To provide comments, insights or thoughts, email: [email protected].

*****

Sydney Supple, currently a lefty freshman pitcher/first baseman at Northwestern, accomplished just about everything possible for a softball standout to do in her high school and club careers that ran from 2016-2019.

It all came together this year for Sydney and her Oshkosh North team which won a Wisconsin state title. Photo by Gail Cameron.

She was honored as this year’s Extra Inning Softball National High School Player of the Year (see below) after leading Oshkosh North (Wisconsin) High to a 31-0 record and state championship as she won 29 games and in 167 innings had a 0.75 ERA with 298 strikeouts against just 11 walks.

Supple also batted .538 with 12 home runs, 49 RBIs and a .623 on-base percentage to earn Extra Inning Softball 1^st Team All-American Honors.

That was just the icing on her prep career that saw her go 89-8 with 972 K’s in her four years. On the club side, she was a standout pitcher and infielder in Bill Conroy’s Beverly Bandits program and won several major national tournaments and showcases at the highest level, including a PGF National Championship.

As great as her career has been on the lines, however, Syd’s lasting legacy may be her impact in leaving behind something to benefit future generations of softball players..

When Sydney was named as the Gatorade State Player of the Year as a sophomore—her first of three straight Gatorade POY honors—she received a $1,000 award which she decided to invest into the Oshkosh community.

Having played on top fields across the nation in travel ball, the high schooler decided to use the award money to begin a campaign to build a quality softball field in her own hometown.

Syd throws out the first pitch on October 19, 2019 at Rainbow Field. Photo by Emil Vajgrt.

Now a freshman at Northwestern, Sydney got to work as a high school junior doing everything she could to raise money for her dream field, from running lemonade stands to sending out close to 500 letters to local businesses asking for support.

Working with the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, she was able to raise $110,000 to build the field and set aside another $10,000 to cover field maintenance for the near future.

On Saturday, October 19, 2019, the field was dedicated and Sydney not only did the ribbon cutting and threw out the first pitch at Rainbow Park field, she ran a free pitching clinic for girls ages seven through 13.

Karlene Grabner, Director of Donor Services for the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, helped direct Sydney in the project and recognized how, literally, ground-breaking and influential this was for young softball players in the area.

The Northwestern freshman with two young players who hope to be a future “Sydney Supple!” Photo by Emil Vajgrt.

“Those young girls have been looking up to Sydney for the last three years,” Grabner said in the city’s 2019 Annual Report. “She is not only a great role model for the sport of softball, but also for future philanthropists. She is instilling in these young girls that anything is achievable if you are willing to put the dedication and time into it.”

The three high schools in town—Oshkosh North, Oshkosh West and Lourdes Academy—are all within two miles of Rainbow Park and will have the first priority to use the field during spring softball season.

It’s been a magic ride for Sydney and she says she’s humbled and appreciative of being able to have a small part in helping some young, future softball player realize her dreams.

Sydney said, “The day Rainbow Park opened was truly a day I will never forget, it was so surreal to see something I dreamed of come to reality. Being able to watch the first group of young girls step on the field and be amazed at what they can now call their home field filled my heart! This field was for the entire city of Oshkosh and I felt so lucky to celebrate the opening with all of Oshkosh.”

Extra Inning Softball 2019 National High School Player of the Year – Sydney Supple

Originally published July 16, 2019 on Extra Inning Softball

One of the rare times you won’t see a big smile on Sydney Supple’s face… and this year she’s had plenty to be happy about! Photo by Emil Vajgrt.

There were some amazing athletes and incredible seasons compiled this past high school year starting last fall and finishing late in the spring and early summer.

Champions were crowned, records were set and we saw some fantastic softball players come through when it counted most.

One of those is our 2019 Extra Inning Softball National High School Player of the Year.

Syd went 29-0 as a senior with three perfect games as part of 15 shutouts.

Five years ago, we first met Sydney Supple (pronounced “SOUP-lee”) at a club event playing for the Beverly Bandits and, even then, we were impressed with her always-present smile and irrepressible energy.

Following her through the years we watched her grow not just as a softball player, but as a person aware of her community and wanting to make a difference.

Last summer, we profiled Syd’s successful efforts to raise money for a premier softball field that would be built in her hometown of Oshkosh, Wisconsin so generations of softball players following her would have a great place to create and live their own dreams.

For the last three years, the brilliant red-haired lefty was the Gatorade State Player of the Year and as a senior–following a shocking upset in the high school playoffs the year before when her Oshkosh North team was seeded #1–it all came together and resulted in a perfect season.

Sydney led her team to an undefeated 31-0 record and the state championship she always dreamed of.

Syd pitching the week she won National Player of the Week announced April 8, 2019.

The Northwestern signee won 29 of those games and made appearances in the two she didn’t start.

Her complete pitching stat line was impressive: 29-0 record, one save, 167 innings pitched, 0.75 ERA with just 18 earned runs allowed all year, a .127 opponents batting average against and 298 strikeouts vs. just 11 walks… well that’s impressive enough.

Then you figure in 15 shutouts including three perfect games and a no-hitter and her pitching accomplishments alone would have been enough to get her national honors.

The lefty went 89-8 in her four years with Oshkosh North. Photo by Gail Cameron.

But against top teams from not just Wisconsin, but Florida and Illinois too, she also hit .538 with 13 doubles, 12 home runs, 53 runs scored, 49 RBIs, 26 walks including six intentional walks, a .623 on-base percentage, a 1.140 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.763, that was the icing on the cake.

The cherry might have been that she only struck out three times in 93 plate appearances.

Overall, she went 89-8 in her prep career with 972 strikeouts from the circle while hitting 29 home runs.

Impressive indeed.

Sydney Supple, with father Jay and mother Heidi, last November when she signed with Northwestern.

To finish, in the two years we’ve done the Extra Inning Softball National High School Player of Week awards, only two have won it twice in a season: Syd this year and Megan Faraimo last year.

That’s pretty good company to be in.

We finish off with a special treat: we asked our Extra Inning Softball National High School Player of the Year to chronicle her journey and what it’s meant to her to cap her prep career with all the honors, sure, but the thing she really, really wanted—a state championship trophy…

… here, in her own words, is that story as she says goodbye to her high school success and prepares for her next chapter… in the Big Ten!

*****

An open letter from Sydney Supple to her high school softball program at Oshkosh North, Wisconsin…

Dear North Softball:

I have put off writing this off for as long as I could, because I will never be able to say goodbye to a place whose field I will always consider home.

You gave me a place to play the game I love alongside girls who I was raised with. To look forward to the end of every school day where I only had to walk a few feet to lace up my cleats. Hear my name announced, to run on the field and turn to see my family, friends, and all our fans who I’ve grown so close with over the years.

My high school story was truly one crazy ride filled with many great moments and some heartache. I would not change a single thing in any of my four years because it all led to a “Hallmark” ending…

Freshman Year – 2015-16

Freshman year, you taught me what it was like to believe in something before it was there. I walked in with high goals of wanting to win conference, advance to state, and win state for the first time in school history!

When I expressed my hopes before I even stepped on the field, I received some crazy looks. However, that did not diminish my vision I had for our team, and little by little others started to see what we were capable of.

One constant over the last four years: Syd has always wanted to help future players realize their dreams too.

I still remember my first high school conference game at North… what people didn’t know was that it was my first game in Wisconsin in a few years and I was ready to make a statement.

Our first game I hit a home run in my first at bat as a freshman and #3 hitter and my best friend and fellow freshman, Libby Neveau, hit one off the fences right after me. That pretty much was the unsaid statement to everyone watching that there would be plenty more of that for four years to come.

Side note: Libby hitting it off the fence was temporary, over the years they just kept going farther and farther over.

Just like that, game after game, we were beating teams for the first time in years until we found ourselves tied for first place for our conference. Every night was a celebration, until we fell a game short in accomplishing our conference goal…I was crushed but I told myself I still had more goals I could accomplish this season.

We started putting ourselves on the map as we won our first three games in playoffs, and, before I knew it, we were in the Sectional Championship playing Kaukauna, the team who cost us the conference title, with a talented pitcher Hailey Hestikan (currently playing for Wisconsin).

What I will remember most about that freshman year is winning that game that sent North to state for the first time in 38 years! At state, we fell short with the bases loaded in the first round. It was a defining moment for the North program… and for myself.

Sophomore Year – 2016-17

Sophomore year, everyone was returning and we were hungry. It was “the year” as everyone said. We called it our record year as we went on to win conference for the first time in school history with an 18-0 undefeated conference season.

Way back before high school, the future standout met one of the legends of the game: Jennie Finch.

In the playoff run we walked through everyone, easily punching our ticket back to Goodman (Univ. of Wisconsin – Madison). We had seven seniors who I loved playing alongside and I wanted a trophy for them all before they left.

I learned during that game in the first round at state that sometimes life doesn’t always work out as you plan, but that you can never truly let your upperclassmen down if you gave them everything you had.

We did that… it just ended up being someone else’s happy ending.

Junior Year – 2017-2018

My junior year—for the first time since my first game of my freshman year—I felt our team was overlooked.

They knew we would be tough because of pitching, but we were starting five freshman and seven girls in new positions.

Sydney Supple circles the bases after a home run in 2018 when the Spartans were the favorite to win it all… but lost in the first game of the playoffs.

Our motto that season was, “Dare you to doubt us.”

As a whole we embraced that challenge and worked hard as a team to put in the extra work in learning and playing hard. I have never been prouder of a group of girls than when we won our second straight undefeated conference championship that season.

It truly showed that despite having a young team we could compete with anyone and win. With that being said it also showed that anyone can win on any given day.

Our first playoff game happened to be some other team’s “day.”

Reflecting on this game still causes a tightness in my chest—it was one of the hardest moments in softball I have ever faced.

We played a team from our conference that we had easily run-ruled twice earlier that season, but it seemed that the ball didn’t bounce our way at any point that game.

We were the #1 seed and got upset, shocking the whole state and ourselves.

I stayed on that field for hours after everyone left and then sat in the stands after the last of my tears fell in realizing I lost my first game at home and I only had one more shot at getting a state title for my city.

Sydney’s pitching and hitting talents and success earned her Extra Inning Softball 1st Team honors as a junior.

It wasn’t until much later that I found out how valuable that experience was, that I loved this game through everything.

I loved it so much even through the hard times.

It took a long time for that heartbreak to go away and I don’t mean that it was something that a few nights sleep could wear off—it took a long time, and I had moments months later where that painful reminder continued to hit.

However, walking off that field that day I decided I wasn’t going to get bitter and think “Why me?” I was going to get better and show my real strength in rising from this.

I dedicated even more of my next off-season training and, let me tell you, there was not much more I could do than I was already doing in the years prior.

My routine was wake up before school to workout, go to school, hit during lunch, practice after school. Repeat.

The difference is I grew deeper in my faith, I became more invested in wanting to strengthen my community for girls’ opportunities to play after I graduated and I grew even stronger relationships with my teammates.

All of these things that may not have been directly working on my pitching or hitting, but it all helped it.

The reason is I learned why I played: it wasn’t for the trophy at the end of the season, it was for the people I could bring together to touch an even greater amount of people’s lives.

That is what I reminded myself my senior year.

Senior Year – 2018-19

We had a special team, we knew that from the start as we went down South for four non-conference games.

The 2019 Spartans played some top teams from Florida and Illinois before hitting the Wisconsin playoffs.

We faced Florida’s state runner-up champions on their ground, battled, and won. In continuing to challenge ourselves we went to Illinois to face one of the state’s top pitchers in Kentucky commit Sloan Gayan and came out victorious.

All of these tough teams prepared us for our conference and post-season run.

We continued our streak of winning and produced a third undefeated conference championship and, for the seniors, finished with a four-year conference record of 70-2.

It all came together this year as Oshkosh North went 31-0. Photo by Gail Cameron.

Impressive, but we knew we weren’t done making history.

With each game played in our postseason, I walked on the field knowing I’d give everything I had for one more game with my team in my North uniform. That mentality gave me a ticket to my third state tournament.

Earlier that year I drove down to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where our state championships are held, and pinky promised our third baseman, Libby, my best friend that we would end our career on Goodman Field and it was exactly what we were going to do.

Playing at State my senior year was unlike any of the others because I soaked in every moment of it knowing that this is what four-plus years of relentless work prepared me for.

Three games stood in-between the Gold ball (trophy) and my team and me.

The first game we won 10-0 in five innings and there was a lot to celebrate in that opening game; the second game was more of a fight as we won 4-0 and that was our 30th straight win as a team.

But we wanted one more.

Sydney shares a post-championship moment with her father Jay.

I remember that night lying in bed the night before the final game thinking that I dreamt about playing in the state championship game for many years and that tomorrow I would end my high school career fulfilling one of my dreams.

The Championship Game did not disappoint, going nine innings with all the intensity a packed stands could bring with the trophy on the line.

For the majority of the game we were down by one run, but that never caused a doubt in our minds that we were not going to win it all.

I will always remember going into extra innings and looking at all of my teammates saying “We worked too hard for four years to come home with anything but the Gold. I will fight with all of you for as many innings as this takes until we make our history.”

Enjoying the journey that was four years of high school successes in the making! Photo by Emil Vajgrt.

That only took two more innings before we were throwing our gloves in the air, screaming, hugging, and holding the trophy proudly in the air—a moment every athlete dreams of!

History was made in that moment, but it took until after the game, laying in centerfield with my teammates to realize this was all reality.

At that moment, I closed my eyes to thank God for many things: I thanked Him for these girls, this sport, a school I was proud to play for, a city that supported me, and, most of all, everything that led me to that moment.

For every player that reads this, I will finish giving you one tip in playing for your high school: trust the journey and embrace the highs and the lows.

Both extremes will shape you into the wonderful person you will be when you walk off the field for the last time.

Know that and be thankful for that opportunity!

— Sydney Supple, Oshkosh North, Class of 2019

*****

Other Finalists for 2019 High School National Player of the Year

Jayda Coleman, Jr. SS (The Colony, Texas)
Kinzie Hansen, Sr. C (Norco, California)
Abby Herbst, Sr. P/UT (Center Grove, Indiana)
Kelley Lynch, Sr. P/UT (East Coweta, Sharpsburg, Georgia)
Emma Kauf, Sr. C/UT (Lincoln Southwest, Nebraska)
Nicole May, Sr. P/UT (Foothill, Pleasanton, California)
Joley Mitchell, Sr. 3B/C (Rose Bud, Arkansas)
Rylee Trlicek, Sr. P/OF Sr. (Halletsville, Texas)
Anabelle Widra, So. P/SS (Spain Park, Hoover, Alabama)

*****

Sydney Supple’s Inside Pitch: Appreciating My Senior Year of High School Softball

Originally published March 13, 2019 on Extra Inning Softball

Sydney Supple enters her senior year as an Extra Inning Softball 1st Team All-American and two-time Gatorade Player of the Year

Sydney Supple, a senior pitcher/first baseman at Oshkosh North High in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and a long-time member of the Beverly Bandits travel organization, has had quite the amazing softball career already as she enters her senior year of high school competition.

Sydney has been a great blogger for Extra Inning Softball as we’ve tracked her career that has included everything from winning a PGF Championship to being a 1^st Team All-American, a two-time Gatorade Softball State Player of the Year, signing with her dream school, Northwestern, being one of top players in the 2019 Extra Elite 100 and, off the field, raising enough money to build a Field of Dreams softball complex in her hometown.

High school softball in Wisconsin starts later than most states—her first game is March 29th—but her feelings of being a senior and playing her last year of high school ball will strike a similar chord with many going through the same experiences…

Here are Syd’s thoughts of what it means to her…

*****

“Senior.”

Sydney at her Northwestern signing party last November.

That is not a title I take lightly. It is a title that came in the blink of an eye and represents a year of lasts—last practices, last games, and last moments playing for your school and city.

For me, I lived at the ball diamonds growing up and was a regular attendee to all of the high school games in my hometown.

I dreamed of playing in front of my family, friends, and all who would come to watch.

Years later my dream has not changed, but rather evolved into wanting to spend my last games playing for my team, family, friends, and making the entire city proud.

High school softball is a special time when you are able to spend four years playing alongside girls you grew up with and then coming home to your family after every game.

Sydney Supple circles the bases after a home run in 2018.

I don’t think I have ever experienced anything where the game is so pure.

My story is a little unique as I look at myself as a sixth year player as I have been practicing with my high school team since the seventh grade.

I saw my school, Oshkosh North High, begin the climb of becoming one of the top teams in our conference and then as one of the top teams in Wisconsin.

The journey has not always been a straight climb—my seasons of high school softball have tested me more than any exam I took in the classroom.

However I would not change any step of the journey for it taught me what strength meant, who I was, and how I want to be remembered.

After countless of seasons of walking into the gym on the first day of practice I have become used to what is expected. This year will be different for many reasons.

I already know I will show up earlier than before to every practice and I´ll take my time walking into the school.

As I make my way into the locker room, I will walk by the trophy case to see the collection of trophies we have acquired over the past few years, then into the gymnasium to see the first-ever years banner saying “softball conference champions” along with the back-to-back state banners hanging over the railings.

In soaking up the feeling of pride for what I have been a part of, I know I will wonder where has the time gone.

But if softball has taught me one thing it is that is once you have thrown a pitch there is no looking back, you only have the next pitch.

Here is to my next pitch—my senior year!

May it be a great one for not just my fellow senior teammates, but for every senior out there and may it be everything we all could ask for.

I hope that we all take our time and enjoy each moment, whether it is as big as being a conference champ or even state champion or as small as the everyday practices, bus rides to games or stepping out to play in front of your home crowd.

I made a promise to myself that I will cherish every moment this season has to offer and not think about what is to come. I will focus on where I am playing in the moment and living in the present at all times.

This being my senior season, I know my story is far from over as I begin to write my final high school chapter.

This is not the beginning of the end but the start of how I will leave my name and number at Oshkosh North, so the story will continue on forever.

*****

The Top 15 Softball Stories of 2018: #13… High School Senior Sydney Supple Approaching $100K To Build Hometown Field of Dreams

Originally published on December 18, 2018

Sydney Supple at the community groundbreaking on Oct 30, 2018 for the field that will allow young athletes to follow in her prolific footsteps.

We continue our list of the Top 15 Softball Stories of 2018, which will run through December 31^st when we’ll present our No. 1 story of the year.

We’ve surveyed the softball community and talked internally as well to come up with what were the most impactful and relevant stories in 2018 pertaining to the world of fastpitch softball.

Here are the previous stories:

Today is #13, an inspiring story of how one high school softball player decided to make a difference in her community and create something that will bless generations of young athletes in her Wisconsin hometown…

To provide comments, insights or thoughts, email: [email protected].

*****

Sydney Supple has had great success in her softball career including winning a PGF National title while wearing the orange and black of the Beverly Bandit travel team and earning Extra Inning Softball All-American honors and multiple Gatorade State Player of the Year awards, but she’s far from done.

Sydney is also considered one of the top 10 players in her class.

A Northwestern signee in the Class of 2019, the Oshkosh, Wisconsin senior still has a year left of high school and club ball left and she hasn’t stopped on or off the field, either, in her efforts to leave a lasting legacy to those young players who will follow in her footsteps.

Syd has been a blogger for me for several years and back in February she wrote an Inside Pitch article titled: Extra Blog: Syd Supple’s One Maine Goal Left to Achieve.

In it, she asks herself: “Have I given enough back to the community that built me?”

She answered her own question by stating: “In speaking with the Parks Department of our city, I plan on using the money I was granted ($1,000 for winning Gatorade Player of the Year) along with other grants to put together a premier softball complex for Oshkosh.”

The original goal was to raise $75,000 to cover everything, but the natural salesman and fired-up competitor in her didn’t stop her fund-raising efforts and today she’s over $90,000 and working towards $100,000 because, as her mother Heidi puts it, “she is planning to make this top-notch for the community.”

Ground breaking was held October 30 and according the athlete’s mother, “They were able to get a lot of the ground filled in before winter so they can start right away once the snow melts.”

Naturally, her parents are proud that their daughter isn’t just about success on the field, but making sure she leaves her imprint in the community.”

Sydney (middle) with her parents Jay and Heidi on the Northwestern campus.

“Besides her athletic talent,” says Syd’s mother, “I have always told her that her greatest gift is her passion. She brings so much heart and soul into everything she does. She brings out the best in the people around her, whether it is her teammates, her friends, or even her Dad and me, she inspires us daily and brings out the best in us.”

Jay, her father, adds: “Syd’s selflessness is what impresses me more than anything, it’s never about her, it’s about everybody around her. She elevates everyone with her passion, grit and toughness.”

*** To make a donation and help Sydney reach her goal of $100,000, you can contribute at this website: ThatsMySpinOnIt.com.

— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball

*****

Update: She did it! Sydney Supple Raises $75,000+ to Build A “Field of Dreams”

(article originally published Sept. 23, 2018 on Extra Inning Softball)

Rainbow Park Ballfield in Oshkosh, Wisconsin which will be renovated into a premier softball field thanks to the fund-raising efforts of senior Sydney Supple.

In a year of amazing accomplishments in softball, one of the most impressive has to be the fund-raising efforts of a high school softball player who decided to improve her community and give back to the sport she loves.

Sydney will leave a legacy in her hometown that will live on for generations.

In July, we told the story of All-American Sydney Supple from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the 2019 standout pitcher/infielder who is headed to Northwestern and was the winner of this year’s Gatorade State Player of the Year award which came with a $1,000 grant to go to a youth charity.

Syd used that money as the starting point to raise $75,000 to renovate a softball field in her community to make it a one that local high school, club and youth could use.

Below is the original story published 2 1/2 months ago when Syd was just halfway to her goal, but first she comments on her appreciation to those who helped her raise the funds to make this happen:

“Thanks to the community of generous donors and people who gave matches, I was able to turn my starting $1,000 from Gatorade to $75,000.”

“Reaching this goal allows us to officially break ground on the ballpark, but we are not done raising money! I am still out spreading the word to continue to raise money to enhance the field by adding overheads on the dugouts and a scoreboard.”

“Looking back I am so touched that countless of people have invested into the future of our sport. I am happy to know that girls and boys growing up in my hometown will have an even better opportunity and place to play than I ever did.”

“More importantly, I want this field to be a message that lives on forever that you can be from Oshkosh, Wisconsin or any other place in the world and go somewhere: ‘Follow your dreams and know you are capable of making a difference!'”

*****

All-American Sydney Supple’s Blog: More Than Halfway to Building Her “Field of Dreams”

Original article published July 10, 2018

Sydney (middle with black cap) is more than halfway towards getting the funds to build a field for current and future generations to play on.

It may not be Iowa and the legendary cornfield turned into the “Field of Dreams” as made famous in the Kevin Costner movie from 1989, but the adjacent Midwest state of Wisconsin, Sydney Supple–one of the top players in the country–is trying to have the same impact in building a playing field that will help inspire generations of softball players for years to come.

Join Today to Get Unlimited Access to Extra Inning Softball

Already a Extra Inning Member? Log In

Sydney’s pitching and hitting talents and success earned her Extra Inning Softball 1st Team honors this month.

But as good as Sydney between the lines, she’s equally motivated off the field to give back to the sport she loves and has helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for a project that’s near to her heart.

In February, the two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year told us about “Her One Main Goal Left to Achieve” and, in her latest blog for Extra Inning Softball, Sydney updates us on her dream to unite the community and create a place for “girls to dream as big as they can while believing it can become a reality with hard work.”

*****

“You have four years to leave a legacy,” I told myself my freshman year.

The 2019 grad wants to give back to the sport that she loves and help future young players realize their dreams too.

That can mean a lot of things, such as you can leave your mark on the field with the numbers you put up or change the culture and the mindset players have in years to come.

Those two goals are what initially drove me, but as I enter my senior high school year I am working towards an even greater legacy of what I want people to remember me: creating a place for girls to dream as big as they can while believing it can become a reality with hard work.

Being named a two-time Wisconsin Gatorade Softball Player of the Year was an incredible honor, but even more humbling was being the first female athlete to win it from Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The day I received the first award, I believed this was only the starting point for more awards to be brought home to my city in the years to come.

Gatorade is kind enough to give every winner $1,000 to “Play it Forward” to any youth organization of their choice and my choice was the Oshkosh FastClub Community Improvement Fund.

It was the very origin of where my love for the sport bloomed and set me up for some of the most memorable parts of my life. The money still didn’t seem enough as a thank you for the great gift my city has bestowed on me, so I decided to do something more.

Sydney Supple poses with Packers QB Aaron Rodgers after being honored as the Wisconsin Softball Player of the Year in May 2018.

In the Spring of 2018, my junior season, I launched a campaign to raise money in hopes of developing a high-quality softball field where girls from all over Oshkosh will be able to practice their skills and develop their relationship with the game, uniting all four high schools in the city and, most importantly, inspiring girls to go for their dreams.

The game does not know where you are from–you can be from any state or any city– and you can still compete to be the best in your sport.

After I began my campaign, I was blessed to be named the Wisconsin Gatorade Softball Player of the Year for the second year in a row and was able to donate another $1,000 to my project.

With the support of the amazing families and businesses who donated to support my project and the youth in our sport, we have raised over $44,000!

It is a number I am extremely proud of and I’m grateful to live in a city that is willing to be so generous… but I am not at my goal yet!

I am working towards the $80,000 I need for the City of Oshkosh Parks Department to be able to break ground this summer.

As a five-year player from the Beverly Bandits, an organization that plays in some of the most prestigious facilities across the country and competes against the top competition in the nation, I understand a lot of young players are not able to share this experience.

That is why I feel it is important for every top athlete to do whatever they can to simulate that excitement in her hometown and keep the same mindset of loving your sport throughout the high school years.

I hope if you are reading this at any age level you are inspired to leave your mark in however you choose to be remembered and know that, no matter where you are in your career, it is never too late to leave it better than you found it!

If you are interested in finding more information on how to help me pave the way for future dreams to come, you can go to my website www.thatsmyspinonit.com!

Thank you and remember: “a kid from anywhere can always go somewhere!”

— Sydney Supple

*****

Signing Recap: Sydney Supple… One Step Closer to Wearing Purple!

Originally published November 17, 2018 on Extra Inning Softball

Sydney makes no effort to hide what her favorite color and college team is as she enjoyed a party Wednesday at her parents’ restaurant in Wisconsin!

Sydney Supple has already had an amazing softball career on the club and high school scene and she still has one year to go before she moves on to Northwestern.

Syd has been a Top 10 player in her class as a top lefty pitcher and hitter, a 1st Team Extra Inning Softball All-American, a multi-year Gatorade State Player of the Year, a member of the Bandits’ teams that have won a PGF National Championship and multiple tournaments including this fall’s PGF Shootout and even got to hang with Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers at an awards banquet after being named as the Wisconsin Softball Player of the Year last May.

The Wisconsin native has looked forward to her signing with the Big Ten school for longer than she’s been in high school and shares her thoughts of what she did on Signing Day and how she’s long looked forward to becoming a member of the Wildcat family…

*****

Player Name: SYDNEY SUPPLE
Club Team: Beverly Bandits – Tyrrell/Madera
High School (City/State): Oshkosh North (Oshkosh, Wisc.)
Position(s): Pitcher/first baseman
College: Northwestern

1. Where did you sign your Letter of Intent this week?
I signed my Letter of Intent at my high school Oshkosh North before school in the auditorium.

2. Was it a big occasion or more low-key?
It’s always a BIG occasion for the BIG Ten!

3. What did you do to celebrate the big day?
Following my school signing we had a signing party at my parents’ restaurant Fox River Brewing Company where we invited over 200 of our closest family and friends who have made this entire journey possible. We just had one simple request, that every guest wear purple!

4. What date did you actually commit to Northwestern?
November 16, 2014 was when I verballed to Northwestern University and it was just two days off the Signing Day date (November 14, 2018) of being four years since I committed.

5. What highlight stands out to you about the recruiting process?
There are too many to even list, but I treasure all those moments I was able to share with my (college) coaches–whether it was them at my game, a meaningful phone call or one of my many trips on campus. Every memory I have was a special part in this whole process.

6. What was the “aha” moment when you knew the Wildcats program was the one for you?
My decision was based on the many incredible trips to Northwestern that made me confident it was the right fit for me. I specifically remember being amazed by how many alumni always came back to the campus showing how much they must have loved their four years there. Be it the past, current, and future players along with the coaches, they all welcomed me in as family and I knew I forever wanted to be a part of the Cat family! Most importantly, I knew Northwestern was the school for me when my coaches made me feel wanted as much as a person as I was as a player.

7. What has signing with your dream school meant to you personally and to those who’ve been part of your success?
My signing was a day I have been dreaming about for two reasons: one, it means I am a step closer to wearing the purple uniform and being a part of a team and family where I admire everyone and two, it was a day to celebrate all the people who have been a part of my journey that made today possible, and allowing me to say thank you to all of them.

Sydney Supple pitched a shutout and hit a two-run home run in the championship game of the PGF Shootout in October.

8. How much gear/product do you have of your future school?
My collection has been growing ever since the 7th grade and let’s just say I could probably provide gear for an entire softball team!

9. What’s next for you and your softball plans this year, like fall/winter tournaments, high school, etc.?
I was invited to try out for the Junior National Team this winter, so I am heavily training for that at the moment. Beyond that I am continuing to work my hardest so I can compete at my highest level one more time for my high school team, Oshkosh North, and travel team, the Beverly Bandits!

10. Did you ever think Signing Day would ever come after you committed almost four year ago?
It seems like I have been waiting for this day to come forever and yet I am amazed by how fast the time has flown by. I just tried to enjoy every moment possible on Wednesday (Signing Day).