BonnerSprings.com

Tiffany Starks' freshman year at the University of Saint Mary led to many successes on and off of the softball field, but it almost did not happen.

The former Bonner Springs High School four-year starting shortstop recalled her first day at practice.

"I was really upset. I got to practice and we only had eight girls and no coach. We had to lead drills. I was thinking that we were not going to even have a team," she said.

Tiffany then did what many college freshmen do after facing adversity their first time away from home - she went to talk to her parents.

"I told my mom that I never wanted to go back. I wanted to quit, but it was too late to transfer. I was stuck," she said. "My mom told me that it was important to give it a second chance and play my game, to get noticed by other teams."

According to Starks, St. Mary's former coach left the softball team in a lurch - not enough players to field a team and no supervision. None of the players were taking it as serious as Starks was at the beginning of the season either.

"It got to me early, I struggled. I thought it was going to be like high school all over again," she said.

But things took a turn for the better.

Two soccer players and a volleyball player were convinced to join the team that was starved for warm bodies, and Lori Lorenzen was named as head coach.

Starks began to feel comfortable with her teammates and the transition into college had come full circle.

"By the end of the season this was the closest team I have ever been a part of," she said. "All of the girls showed so much heart even though we struggled record-wise (6-26-1)."

The transition into becoming a better player came much easier than adjusting to the new situation.

Lorenzen had the girls practice hitting early and often. A new occurrence for Starks was the day of games the girls were hitting in the cages.

"It was hitting nonstop. That makes it different from high school," said Starks, who has always been a terrific fielder. She recalled a drill in which the batter held a small stick and attempted to hit small pitched peas that were barely visible to the batter.

"The first day of that drill I didn't hit a single pea. By the end of the year I think I hit every single one, it really helped my confidence at the plate," she said.

To even her surprise, Starks led her team in batting average at a scorching .417 and struck out only twice the entire season.

"With my confidence improving, I felt really comfortable at the plate, even with two strikes," she said. "In high school I always knew I would strike out if I got two strikes against me, now that doesn't even cross my mind."

Teresa Starks, Tiffany's mother, said of her hitting this season: "We were amazed at how well she did at the plate. She didn't think about it as much. We are very proud of her. Big-time improvement."

Starks has also learned to do the little things to help her team while up to bat. She fouls off pitches to wait to get "her" pitch. She moves base runners over. It is this approach, along with her dynamic defensive presence, that helped her become one of only two freshmen named to the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference all-conference first-team.

She has been urged by her coaches and teammates to apply to be a team captain as a sophomore.

"I am hoping to become more of a leader and more vocal on the field," she said.

Off the field, Starks was impressive as well. She is majoring in photography and computer graphics and was honored at the department's year end art show. A photograph and a painting of hers were chosen by the panel to stay displayed in the school until next December, a very high honor for an art student.

"I didn't think I was artistic at all when I was the sports editor at Bonner, but now I am so much better at seeing things, it is easier," Starks said.

She is spending her summer working at a coffee house in Basehor, but also hopes to apply for a position at the vet's office. She also intends to help with some girls youth softball teams if she can.

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