OMAHA (KMTV) — From college softball's biggest stage to giving back to her home state. Jordy Bahl is back in Nebraska this week helping teach the game that has made her now a national star.
"To see girls getting into it younger and younger, I think that's such an awesome thing," Bahl said. "Because girls can now watch college games on TV. Whereas before, it would just be the Women's College World Series. But now it's all season long so girls get to watch it all spring and it just fuels their fire."
After an incredible high school career at Papio, the OU pitcher's prowess continued this past spring in Norman earning national freshman of the year honors and helping the Sooners to their 5th national title in the last decade.
"You enjoy it for a little while," said Bahl. "But then you realize that it's just on to the next year now and you've got to get back to work."
Bahl's inaugural college season, though, didn't come without its challenges: most notably a stress fracture in her right forearm in May making her miss the Big 12 and first two weekends of the NCAA tournament.
"That's why it's so important to have perspective on everything else that matters in life and know that softball problems are like small problems," said Bahl. "They're not real-life problems. There are kids out there that don't know when their next meal is going to come. And so if I am beating myself up because I can't throw a rise ball one day, that is a serious small problem."
However, the Sooners' standout returned at the Women's College World Series starting the final game of the season earning the win in Oklahoma's 10-5 championship victory over Texas.
"It was a team effort all season long but especially in that game," Bahl said. "They had my back the entire time where people didn't even see it. It was off the field. Even the bad days are a blessing. Also remember your purpose outside of softball because nothing on the field defines who you are or the kind of person you are or how much God loves you and just really help keep it in perspective."
