Jennie Finch's Competitive Spirit

“YOU THROW LIKE A GIRL”: FROM AN INSULT TO A COMPLIMENT

“I hate losing.” says Jennie Finch. Jennie Finch hated to lose, and she showed it in her competitive spirit. Born on September 3, 1980 in La Mirada, California, youngest of three children, she grew up playing softball with a family who taught her exceptional morals. Jennie Finch positively influenced society by achieving her dreams; all while showing traits of dedication, being charitable, and having a positive outlook on every challenge that comes her way.
To begin with, Jennie Finch was a dedicated softball player, and still is today. She showed dedication through believing in herself, setting records, and traveling anywhere and everywhere to play. Finch believed in herself no
matter what. When somebody told her she couldn’t do it, she tried even harder to prove them wrong. When she was twelve years old, Jennie was told she would never be a championship pitcher. She went on to achieve everything her coach said she wouldn’t. For example, Jennie set countless records. In 2001, Jennie set the bar high with a 32-0 season, and in 2002 Jennie set a NCAA record with 60 straight wins. In 2006, she pitched nine strikeouts in 9.0 innings at the ISF World Cup, and twelve strikeouts in 5.2 innings at an exhibition game. She had an amazing 2007, hurling 49 strikeouts in 31.0 innings, while allowing only nine hits. Also in 2007, Jennie made eleven out of the twelve outs in 4.0 innings. She also won many championships. Jennie and her team were World Champions in 2002, won gold at the Pan-American games in 2003, and won gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics. The team was also World Cup Champions in 2006, World Champions in 2006, won ISF gold, and in 2007 won Pan-American gold again, as well as the World Cup and more. Winning and playing many games meant traveling to many places. Jennie and her family, as well as teams, were willing to go anywhere, as long as they were able to play softball. In her youth, the Finch family was at a different diamond each week, playing a different team. Jennie and her Olympic team traveled to Athens, Greece and Beijing, China and many other places for games. Being so greatly dedicated to her sport, family, and the life of others made Jennie the person she is today.
In addition to being dedicated, Jennie supports many charity’s, such as Project HOTSHOTS, n’Play, Women’s Sports Foundation, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and FCA softball.
Project HOTSHOTS, one of the many organizations donated to by Jennie, serves as a conduit for those who wish to share, aid, and teach those who need it. Project HOTSHOTS, or Helping Others Through Sports Have Outstanding Tomorrows, is entirely volunteer based, and sends supplies to places or organizations that need it, Finch sends backpacks around the world to children. Finch also supports ‘nPlay, as well as many other athletes. ‘nPlay’s goal is to tackle childhood obesity by holding programs and encouraging kids to get moving. Another charity is Women’s Sports Foundation that promotes sports, health and education for females. BCRF, or Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s, goal is to achieve prevention and find a cure for breast cancer, and Jennie supports them, as well as FCA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, who minister to and through softball athletes and coaches in Florida and surrounding areas. They are there to help in your time of need or just talk. Jennie is a kind and charitable person, and donating and supporting the charities she does, keeps others positive and helps them live their life to the
fullest.
Along with being dedicated and charitable, Finch managed to stay positive through every obstacle that came her way.
When people told her she could do it, she tried even harder to prove them wrong. When her coach told her she wouldn’t become a championship pitcher, she tried even harder, just to prove him wrong. Jennie also thought positively when she was feeling nervous. “Okay Jennie. This is still a game.” (Finch 205). Jennie would say that to herself over and over again when her nerves got high at important games. She thought positive to overcome her doubts. Finch just doesn 't keep herself positive, she also keeps others positive. One way she does that is by conducting camps across the country to help young girls become stronger and better people. Any obstacle that tried to knock Finch down made her stronger and more positive, shaping her to the positive, charitable, dedicated person she is.
Jennie Finch showed young girls that it’s okay to play like a girl. Jock Bio: Jennie Finch Biography states,
“‘You play like a girl’” used to be one of baseball’s classic insults. Not anymore. Softball diva Jennie Finch made it cool to not only throw like a girl, but to run, field, and hit like one, too. Not since Babe Ruth has a player dominated so completely from the pitching rubber and the batter’s box. Jennie also accomplished something Ruth never could: she showed the boys it’s okay to be one of the
girls.”
Through dedication, being charitable, and being positive, Jennie Finch became a role model to many girls all over the world. Jennie didn 't listen to anybody that told her she couldn 't do it, and she supports and donates to charities all over. But most importantly, she stayed positive through it all and never gave up.

Works Cited
Finch, Jennie, and Ann Killion. THROW LIKE A GIRL: How to Dream Big &
Believe in Yourself. Chicago: Triumph Books, 2011. Print.
Jennie, Finch. "Jennie Finch." Jennie Finch Biography. N.p.. Web. 13 Mar 2013