On Friday, April 14, 2011, Central Bucks East seniors Ali Vavala and Laura Murray were recognized at a special news conference for signing letters of intent to play softball at the collegiate level. Both are captains of this year’s Patriot squad.
Ali Vavala – West Chester University (Softball)
Major: Undecided, possibly psychology
Final list of colleges: West Chester, Holy Cross
Reasons for choosing West Chester: “After my official visit, I realized it was the perfect school for me. I loved the town – it was just like Doylestown. I loved the campus and the team. The girls and the coaches were great, and I just loved it there.”
What was the progression that led you to playing collegiate softball? “Ever since I started travel softball, I really decided that I wanted to go to college (and play softball). The moment I started playing softball – I loved it, so when I got to my travel team, my coach really helped me find schools that were appropriate for me and close to home. West Chester was just the perfect fit for me.”
Coach Erin Scott says: “Ali has been on varsity for four years, and she’s definitely been a strong player that entire time. Especially her senior year, I have really seen her step up and be a threat offensively to other teams because of her speed. That’s had a huge impact.
“Also, she’s taken on a leadership role in the outfield. She’s playing center field this year. The other years I’ve coached she’s been in left field, but she’s definitely one of our best – if not our best outfielder. Her speed is probably her biggest strength.”
Laura Murray – West Chester University (Softball)
Major: Physical Education/Kinesiology
Final list of colleges: West Chester, East Stroudsburg, Kutztown
Reasons for choosing West Chester: “I visited over the summer, and I instantly fell in love with it. It was a really great place to be. The environment is really cool, and overall, it’s really nice. The people are really nice. I just fell in love with it. I was looking to stay – not too close but close enough to be able to come back home.”
What was the progression that led you to playing collegiate softball? “I pretty much always wanted to play college softball because I’ve been so involved with travel ball. I have been doing it ever since I can remember, so it’s always been something I thought about. I have such a huge passion for the game. It’s something I always saw myself doing.”
Coach Erin Scott says: “Laura plays shortstop for us and bats in our cleanup position. She’s one of our strongest infielders and one of our strongest hitters. She was injured last year, which was tough for her because she loves to play, and she had to take a backseat, but she still was a huge part of our team.
“It’s exciting to have her back out on the field because she loves the game so much, and I’m excited she’s going on to play (in college) because she’s definitely a strong player and is passionate about softball. She also has a lot of personality and a great sense of humor.”
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