University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Get Golden Advice
January 11, 2015 | Softball
It's not every day that you have an Olympic gold medalist standing before you to talk about her experiences. This past Friday evening the North Carolina softball team was visited at Anderson Stadium by Olympian and professional fastpitch softball player Natasha Watley.
Watley was a four-time All-American at UCLA, leading the Bruins to the 2003 National Championship, before winning a gold medal with the USA Softball Women's National Team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. She was also a member of the 2008 Olympic team that won silver in Beijing and currently plays professionally in Japan for Team Toyota as well as USSSA Pride of the National Professional Fastpitch League.
She spoke and answered questions about her experiences as a student-athlete and a professional, talking about her struggles and how she overcame them to succeed at the highest levels of the sport. The Olympian also gave out advice to the Tar Heels along the way to enjoy and learn from their college experience, both on the field and in the classroom, as much as possible.
“Everything is so connected” Watley told the team. “What you're doing in the classroom really affects the type of person that you are on the field.”
“You only get four years of college, you don't get to do it over again.”
Alongside NFCA Hall of Famer and UNC head coach Donna Papa, Watley will instruct campers attending Donna J. Papa Softball Camps' winter clinics on Sunday.
"We are thrilled to have Natasha Watley here to share her experiences and knowledge with our team and with our campers,” said Papa. “She is one of the most decorated softball players at all levels- collegiate, professional and Olympic. So the opportunity to tap into the insights she has for current players is outstanding. "
