On Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, Harry S Truman senior Jess O’Neil signed a letter of intent to play softball at Georgian Court University. To view photos of the signing, please visit the Photo Gallery.
Jess O’Neil – Georgian Court University (Softball)
Major: Nursing
Final list of colleges: Georgian Court, Holy Family, Neumann, Moravian
Reasons for choosing Georgian Court: “I liked that it was a smaller school because I grew up in St. Mike’s, so I was used to that. When I went on my visit, I really liked the coach - she just seemed really easy to get along with.”
What was the progression that led you to playing softball at the collegiate level? “Around eighth grade when I started playing for the Lower South Liberty 16U, I saw the 18U girls play, and I decided I wanted to be like them. I pushed myself to get better so I could actually play at the college level.”
Coach Gretchen Cammiso says: “Jess came in as a freshman, and she was obviously a little bit quieter than she is now, but her work ethic was always one that I admired and that only got stronger over her four years. She started to take on more of a vocal leadership role, but she was a leader by example even as a freshman.
“There is still no one that outworks her. Even when she’s leading the team in hitting or one of the better defensive players on the team, there’s still no one since she’s been here that outworks her on a daily basis.
“Her demeanor is one of her strongest attributes. There have been times when she has been in a rotation, and I rotated the girls back and forth based on who was pitching well or certain opponents, and that didn’t rattle her. Last year she was our sole pitcher, and even if the defense was making errors behind her, she always kept her composure. Whether she feels like she’s doing well or she feels like she’s doing bad, you can’t tell on her face, and especially as a pitcher, that’s really valuable. The girls always feel confident when she’s on the mound.”
Pitching coach Art Birtell says: “Jess is one of the hardest working kids I have ever worked with pitching. She listens real well. She’s also one of the best fielding pitchers I’ve ever dealt with. Other than that, she’s just a great kid and always has been a good player. The cream comes to the top, and that’s what happened to Jess. She’s a great kid too. I’m going to miss her a lot.”
About Jess:
Favorite food: Tacos
Favorite movie: The Parent Trap
Favorite music: Country
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