Brooke Usrey – Success Stories!
Senior at Redwater High School
Brooke Usrey powerlifts, plays volleyball, and plays high school and travel softball. One of her biggest accomplishments is committing to play collegiate softball. “It took many years of hard work and sacrifice to get to the point I’m at now,” Brooke says. “In my early years of softball, I thought my success was related to how many games my team won. However, I realized over the years that winning is not what it’s all about. You could win a game but make four errors in the same game. Now, success is thinking about the mistake you made and learning how to prevent it from happening again.”
Brooke recently traveled to Spain by herself to play softball with a team representing America. “This trip was incredible. It taught me how to be independent and enjoy every little moment. I will cherish the experience forever, and I’m so grateful I was able to go,” Brooke says. “I am working towards becoming the best player I can be so that I can help my college team. There are many talented players, and I have to work hard to earn my chance on the field.”
To get to where she is today, Brooke credits her friends, family, and coaches for not letting her give up when things got difficult. “All my friends and family have been supportive of my softball career, and I’ve had several great coaches, including Alex Burns, Terry Snyder, and my dad. These coaches worked with me for several years and continually pushed me to get better,” Brooke says. “My parents are also one of the main reasons I stuck with softball. They always encouraged me to go to practices or workouts and took me to countless tournaments over the years. I could never thank any of these people enough for all they have done for me.”
When Brooke is not at school or playing sports, she gives softball lessons to younger girls, and she is starting to help her older brother coach their niece’s travel softball team. Brooke also umpires throughout the spring. “I love to be around younger players and help them grow their love for softball,” Brooke says. “My advice for others would be to stick with the course. You’re not always going to win every game or tournament, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get better. If you stay dedicated and find the right teams and coaches for you, you never know where this game could take you.”
As she looks forward to her college softball career, Brooke also looks forward to opportunities to work on herself. “I’ve learned that I am my biggest competitor. Softball is a mental sport, and you must have the right mindset to play the game. You can’t let your failures or others’ successes drag you down. If you compete against yourself, you’re always going to get better,” Brooke says, “In the end, my definition of success is being able to take your mistakes to make yourself better. Success is failing, but not quitting.”