Alissa Haber on Twenty for ’20

Twenty for ’20

by Alissa Haber
on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at 8:55pm.

Sitting here in front of this computer screen, I am realizing how daunting a task it is to relate to you how
grateful I am for the game of softball. During the past 18 years, it has given me so many wonderful
opportunities, has taken me places I would have never dreamed of, and has, most importantly, been
instrumental in my development into the woman I am today. This game has allowed me to stand
shoulder to shoulder with some of the most brilliant people I know, both on the field and off. It has given
me amazing friendships that will last my entire life. But perhaps if I had to sum it up into a singular,
definitive phrase, the game of softball has taught me the invaluable lesson that the only things in this life
that are worth having are those which you toil, sweat, even sometimes bleed for with unmatched passion
and self-confidence, whether it is on the field, in the classroom, or in simply existing day-to-day.

Almost three years ago, I was entering my junior year at Stanford University. I found myself on
the descent of my collegiate career, and agonizing over what I was to do with the rest of my life,
something that was looming in what had suddenly become a not-so-distant future. If you would have
asked me in that moment what my plans were, I would have given a multitude of potential answers (each
reflecting my anxious uncertainties). But none of them included softball. As much as I loved playing, I
could not conceive a way in which softball after college was a viable option for me. After all, weren’t you
supposed to “grow up” after college? Get a job? Pay the bills? Softball somehow didn’t resonate within
this “adulthood” I was now facing.

But when I was drafted in the 2010 Senior Draft to the USSSA Pride, I realized that this was an
opportunity of a lifetime. Being part of the NPF this past season was an amazing and eye-opening
experience. It helped me to realize how important the sport of softball is not only to the amazing women I
get to share the field with, but to the young girls who come out to support us and cheer us on. Softball is
more popular than it has ever been, and I want these girls to, one day, experience the elation and
gratitude that I feel as a professional softball player in the NPF.

Professional softball should exist. There is no reason why young girls can’t dream of becoming
professional softball players. This is what I have come to realize during my short time in the NPF, and
that is why I am an adamant supporter of the Twenty for 20 Campaign. With a small donation of $20, you
are directly contributing to ensuring the future of the National Professional Fastpitch League into the year
2020. Just go to www.profastpitch.com and you will be directed to the site with all the information you
need, and directions on how to donate. You can donate in honor of a friend, family member, or even your
favorite NPF player.

Who did I donate in honor of? The dreamers. Those young girls who grow up on the diamond
dreaming that they will play at the highest levels, competing with and against the best. Those who
support them and believe in their abilities, whether it be the parents who chauffeur them from tournament
to tournament, sharing every dream with their little girls, or the people who believe in a sustainable
professional softball league and would do anything to ensure its continued existence. I donated for all of
those people who dare to dream, and strive to achieve with unparalleled passion and dedication.

Thank You
Alissa Haber