{"id":24261,"date":"2023-07-21T17:49:49","date_gmt":"2023-07-21T17:49:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thealliancefastpitch.com\/?p=24261"},"modified":"2023-07-21T17:49:49","modified_gmt":"2023-07-21T17:49:49","slug":"i-love-the-small-town-i-grew-up-in-and-i-love-michigan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thealliancefastpitch.com\/rmfl\/2023\/07\/21\/i-love-the-small-town-i-grew-up-in-and-i-love-michigan\/","title":{"rendered":"I love the small town I grew up in, and I love Michigan"},"content":{"rendered":"

By: Alison Newland<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI love the small town I grew up in, and I love Michigan.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Coming from a small town, family is everything to Alliance All-Star Ella Stephenson. Even now, when she\u2019s in a house divided.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ella certainly isn\u2019t the only athlete in the Stephenson family. Mr. Stephenson is a Michigan State Baseball alum, and so it took some time to get him ready for the stands at Alumni Field.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAt first my dad was a little hesitant rooting for the maize and blue, but as soon as I got him some gear that said the word \u2018softball\u2019 on it (of course), he was all on board.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her two older brothers are also Division I baseball players, and they\u2019ve been her biggest inspiration for as long as she can remember. Growing up watching them at the ballfield gave Ella the chance to find the sport she loves.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIf I wouldn\u2019t have seen them play\u2026 I don\u2019t know if I would\u2019ve picked up a softball. As I grew up, I saw how hard they worked, how much fun they had, and how they got everything they put into the sport\u2026 It influenced me to get after my dreams.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Being close to home was a big factor in choosing the University of Michigan for Ella, and knowing that she\u2019ll get to look to the stands every day and see her family was a non-negotiable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt means everything to me. It really does. The thing I hold closest to my heart is my family.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

While she was falling in love with softball, Ella Stephenson was also falling in love with Michigan. And of course, when you think of Michigan Softball, you think of Hutch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI look at the program Hutch has built\u2026 I see the way she has advocated for her players and for women\u2019s sports\u2026. I was truly inspired and gravitated to being a part of a program like that. I am beyond excited to continue the legacy she\u2019s built.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ella will be joining the Michigan Softball Program under the leadership of Coach Bonnie Tholl, who played for Hutch and is going into her second year as head coach.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI am pumped to play under Coach Tholl\u2026 [She] has been in the game a long time, and she knows what it takes for our program to succeed to our highest potential.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ella plays for the Turnin2 organization, and is incredibly proud of the team she\u2019s played for the last seven years, and the way that softball is growing in Michigan.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve stayed with the same team since I was eleven, and having a great relationship with my coaches and teammates is something I value tremendously.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Even playing at home, she never had to sacrifice playing against the best. Ella\u2019s team traveled out of state frequently to see great competition, and the Alliance format has been another way to prepare for the next level.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI really enjoy how Alliance sets up the national championship tournament like the WCWS (Women\u2019s College World Series)\/NCAA Tournament. It\u2019s super cool to get a taste of what the future could be like in making it to the postseason in college.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For smaller organizations in the North, there are a specific set of challenges when facing recruiting.\u00a0 The location, weather, and travel can provide unique obstacles for players from those teams. Unlike many other players who play with out-of-state teams during the summers, Ella chose to stay, and she\u2019s never regretted her choice.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t do anything different\u2026 I love Michigan, and I\u2019m so excited to continue playing in my home state.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span>Stephenson will play in the Alliance All-Star Game July 23 prior to her team competing in the AFCS.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By: Alison Newland   \u201cI love the small town I grew up in, and I love Michigan.\u201d\u00a0 Coming from a small town, family is everything to Alliance All-Star Ella Stephenson. Even now, when she\u2019s in a house divided.   Ella certainly isn\u2019t the only athlete in the Stephenson family. 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