NEVER SAY “NEVER”

I first came to know Elise a few years ago. She and her father considered coming east, from Nebraska, to work with me. Her father felt she could benefit from our training, but our schedules didn’t mesh well, so I agreed to try something unusual.

At that time I was not very busy, so perhaps we could do some video training.
Nate was very patient as we went through the process and soon he reported that Elise was progressing quite satisfactorily. One day an email arrived that changed everything. Nate described a problem I knew all too well. I suggested they see a specialist and our fears were confirmed. Elise had Thoracic Outlet Syndrome on her right side, which meant that continuing to pitch could be life threatening. Nate asked about the surgery and I was quick to point out the risks of the procedure. Elise gave up pitching but continued to play other positions…at least for two weeks.
One day the phone rang and Nate said Elise wanted my help again. Their question was surprising. Could we teach Elise to pitch left-handed? Are you serious? She would need to learn to use a glove on the right hand, learn to throw overhand with the left arm, and re-train every muscle and every fiber to a new pitching movement, plus force the brain to think in a completely new way. There was practically no chance this could work.
Elise would not be deterred. She insisted she be given the opportunity, but I felt too many things were going against her. It was a standoff….for awhile. Because I never say “never” to a kid, we reluctantly began the process long-distance. Meanwhile, Elise began training with a physical therapist to learn to throw overhand with the left hand, a daunting task in itself.
She tried very hard to pitch as a lefty, with very little success. During the process Meghan Vrotsos began training with us in Wisconsin, so Elise and Nate went there a couple of times to get personal attention. Because of her age, we soon realized this may be a lost cause. Nothing broke our hearts more than to discourage Elise’s dream, but it was time to face reality. She could learn to pitch with the left hand, but she was now at an age where she could never be truly competitive as college drew nearer. We felt it was probably time to pull the plug. We believed that Elise would never stand on the mound in a game again.
Ten days ago, Elise and Nate travelled to a tournament with plans for Elise to enjoy simply playing her defensive position. However, one of their two pitchers sustained a knee injury. The other had to carry all of the load, and fatigue began to take its toll. Somehow the team must find a way to allow this kid to rest a few innings or their weekend would be short-lived.
It was then that someone realized that Elise had trained left-handed and they began to implore her to try. Elise knew it was a bad idea, but as she looked at her team, she knew it was time to put them first. She prepared for the worst. After two years of tears, frustration and sacrifice, Elise McIlhaney experienced the thrill of standing on the mound one last time.
The pitches were not fast. Many were wild. But, each time the other pitcher needed relief, Elise would give it all she had. The competitive instincts kicked into gear and she began to relax and enjoy the moments. It was not always pretty, but after six innings of relief, scattered over the weekend, Elise totaled only 3 earned runs. The scores on the board did not matter. A different sort of victory was celebrated. Nobody will ever remember anything about that weekend except that a young lady achieved something that nobody could ever imagine. Her father said, “I don’t care if she ever pitches again. It was enough to see her in her element, on the mound again after 2 years, and pitching left handed at that!”
Though Elise’s team somehow won their bracket, Elise is a true champion because she won something more important than a game. Being a part of this story will always be a highlight of my life. Elise may never see the mound in the College World Series, but I will never say “never” again with her. More importantly, her story should inspire young ladies across the country who have been overlooked for one reason or another. We believe her contribution to the game may be bigger than she ever dreamed possible when she picked up the ball for the first time.
Is Elise done? Well, maybe. But this story could be continued. Her family is praying for the pitcher with the knee issues. However, both of these girls play on the same high school team, so Elise is keeping the left arm ready in case she is needed until her friend returns. One thing we have learned. Nobody can tell this kid she cannot do something once she sets her mind to it. And, win or lose, each time she takes the mound it is a message to every person on the sidelines that you can reduce the impossible to the inconvenient if you dare to dream and put in the work.
**Note: If you are a former college pitcher who would like to make an impact on kids, contact us about the Instructor Certification Program you’ll be amazed at what we have to offer.