Heather Oakley loves baseball. Her father coaches the sport, and she has been playing since she was 5 years old. For Oakley, a first-base player, the softball field has been a home away from home for years. But there is one softball field she hopes to never step on again.
Oakley is a 19-year-old sophomore at City College who had a softball experience that changed her future, not only as a devoted athlete, but also as a college student.
As a freshman in high school, Oakley began her college search. And UC Davis just seemed to click. Oakley fell in love with the small town of Davis and the academics of the school, as well as the fact that she could stay close to her family in Chico.
Oakley enrolled in classes at UCD before she was offered a small scholarship to the softball team and officially signed with the team her last semester of high school.
But in hindsight, Oakley says there were signs that she should have paid better attention to.
“I wish that I would have taken more time making my decision,” says Oakley.
Teammates fought on and off the field. Players with injuries stayed in the game, Oakley says she was a mess. Her dream college experience was going horribly wrong, and the sport she once loved was quickly becoming something she wanted nothing to do with.
“Her confidence and self-worth as a softball player were destroyed,” says her father George Oakley.
After two quarters of playing softball, and one full year at UCD, Oakley followed the advice of a friend and enrolled at City College to finish her general education and begin her healing process with softball. And she couldn’t be happier.
“Many of the things that she hoped to experience at UCD she has been able to get at City College,” Oakley’s longtime boyfriend Tom Pedrozo says. “She’s once again excited about future possibilities.”
She has reason to be. The City College softball team is the 2013 Big 8 Conference champion and will play in the Nor-Cal Super Regionals playoffs May 12.
Oakley has plans of becoming a guidance counselor upon graduation to help students going through difficult situations, and she hopes to guide them to a correct college decision the first time.
As far as transfer goes, Oakley says with a smirk, “Who knows? If I like something, then cool.”