BEYOND THE MASK: Hazel signs with St. Mary's

The 17 years of Andrea Hazel's young life had built up to this moment.

As she took the podium at Honker Gym on Thursday, clad in her new St. Mary's College sweatshirt, she had a speech prepared on index cards and a national letter of intent ready to sign.

Her signature on the line signified the culmination of a life-long mission.

Just as she opened her mouth to thank the many friends, family, coaches and supporters in attendance, her voice began to crack and the tears started — the realization of her dream was overwhelming.

Playing Division-I college softball isn't just the next step. This game has been her escape, her outlet since she started playing in Peach Bowl Little League.

She grew up in poverty as a young girl, not knowing where her next meal was coming from. She dealt with the separation of her parents — one was in and out of rehab, the other in prison.

The only lifestyle she knew was one surrounded by gangs, drugs and violence. Hazel never thought she would escape her nightmare. Now she's on her way to one of the most prestigious universities in the country.

Hazel signed her national letter of intent to play softball with St. Mary's College of California in Moraga, accepting a 95 percent scholarship.

A senior catcher at Yuba City High, Hazel will begin playing with the Division-I Gaels in the spring of 2013. St. Mary's, though normally a member of the West Coast Conference, plays softball in the Pacific Coast Softball Conference with Santa Clara, Loyola Marymount, Sacramento State and the University of San Diego, among others.

At Thursday's ceremony she thanked her grandparents, the constant support in her life, for taking her in and raising her. She also spoke of how proud she is of her mother for becoming clean and turning her life around.

Getting to the Division-I level didn't come without some sacrifices for Hazel.

To garner recognition from collegiate softball programs, she joined the Nor Cal Strike Zone out of Fremont where she traveled across California and the rest of the country playing in showcases and tournaments.

She said she didn't have much of a social life during high school.

The morning after her junior prom she was up at 4 a.m. to drive to the Bay Area for a seven-hour practice.

"I'm looking forward to growing and trying to find my limits," Hazel said. "I'm looking forward to fail because I want to learn about who I am, find myself, find my career and I have so much to look forward to.

"It's perfect."

Hazel is regarded as one of the best defensive catchers in the country for her graduating class.

She receieved serious interest from Florida International, Boston Univeristy and Chico State before signing with the Gaels.

The only reason she wasn't offered a scholarship earlier is because she didn't start playing travel ball until her junior year of high school. Most athletes in softball give their verbal commitment by freshman or sophomore year.

Strike Zone club manager Don Ford labeled Hazel's accomplishment on Thursday as "the best signing he's ever had."

This is coming from a man who sent two girls to the Olympic team.

With the tribulation Hazel faced growing up, Ford said her story is the best thing to happen to his program.

"She is a very determined player," Ford said. "She's determined to get every ball. She blocks the ball like a human backstop. She has the strongest throwing arm of any catcher I've ever had playing for me."

Hazel referred to her Strike Zone team as "family."

When Hazel's actual family was struggling to make ends meet, her Strike Zone teammates held a fundraiser, receiving 2,000 pounds of food. They surprised Hazel with a truck full.

Ford labeled Hazel as a positive force on the team and loved by everyone.

"Coaches show up just to watch her throw the ball and be a leader on the field," Ford said. "She is definitely one of my team leaders. She is never negative, never down and appreciates everything."

Pat Dempsey first approached Hazel about joining a travel team after seeing her play with the Honkers in the spring of 2010.

Dempsey, a competitive coach out of Live Oak, said he always knew Hazel had the potential to be a D-I catcher because of her defense. It was when she belted a pitch 275 feet last summer that he realized Hazel could be a superstar.

"She is fearless," Dempsey said. "I never saw a catcher better than her, ever. The biggest thing on her is her arm. It's like (Joe) Montana putting it on a shelf."

Though club teams are where softball players accrue the attention of college scouts, Hazel made an even bigger impact on the Honker softball program.

Coach Chuck Robinson credited Hazel for resurrecting Honker softball. He opened Thursday's festivities by labeling Hazel as player to "build a program around."

"When she came in, she lit a fire under everyone else," Robinson said. "She glued that team together and brought people to come play. I didn't coach her, she coached me.

"She makes everyone around her better."

Before she made her way around Honker Gym, hugging her supporters in attendance and stopping every five seconds for a snapshot, she wanted to leave those in attendance with a final message: "Anything is possible."

Seven years ago, Hazel was ready to give up on life. She was frequently suspended from school, never kept good grades and was always getting into fights.

Softball is what gave her a chance to succeed.

She's running with it and never looking back.

"Sports saved me," she said. "I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders."