Interviewed from the bleachers next to a local baseball field just before heading to practice, Diana Escárcega, a 17-year old softball player from Puerto Peñasco , retold how surprised she was when she received the call telling her she would represent Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, and the country at the Panamerican Softball Confederation games being held in Cartagena, Colombia Oct. 17th – Oct. 22nd.
Diana, who first began as a baseball pitcher at just 6 years old, grew up in athletic environment surrounded by her parents and brothers and has been persistent at training. This has opened up doors for her to represent Puerto Peñasco at state and national tournaments, and now on the under-18 squad at the Panamerican Softball Confederation games.
With the ongoing full support of her parents, Palmira Vianey and Marcial Hebert, on this occasion her family organized a series of fundraising activities to help pay for Diana’s trip from Mexico City to Cartagena, Colombia, while the federation itself helped pay for other daily expenses.
Diana is grateful and recognizes the hard work and trust of her family and team, which makes her feel even more committed.
As a fifth semester student at CETMAR, the young athlete remarked at times it’s a challenge to combine studies with practice as she sometimes barely has time to get from the high school to the athletic fields. Even so, she stated, playing softball has been a good choice as she stays focused on an activity she is passionate about while staying away from other activities that could be negative.
When asked as to what she would recommend to other young people her age, Diana commented that doing sports or another activity will always help keep you out of situations that could be harmful, adding that any sport is good and the best thing is to just visit the fields.
With just half a year to go before graduating from high school, the outstanding softball player has set her sights on studying nutrition or physiotherapy though she still has some months to think about it. What is a sure thing, however, is she’ll find a way to stay on the softball field.
