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Brawley Union High graduate Breanna Ruelas (second from right, bottom row) takes a picture with her team. (PHOTOS COURTESY OF BREANNA RUELAS / December 29, 2012) |
For Brawley native Breanna Ruelas, softball isn’t just a sport; it is an opportunity and a fun one at that. Ruelas was 9 years old when she first picked up a softball. Little did she know that it would take her to a semi-professional team in the Netherlands.
“Softball has been my life ever since I was small. I would practice every day, play games on the weekend and it still consumes me,” Ruelas said. “I can’t imagine my life without it … if it wasn’t for softball I wouldn’t have been able to experience all that I have.”
Ruelas grew up playing for various travel softball teams until high school, playing at Brawley Union High. After being named the All-Imperial Valley Press Player of the Year her senior year she got an offer to play softball at the University of Redlands.
After four years of starting at Redlands, in her senior year she got a call from Berend Mannessen, who is the head coach for the Hoofddorp Pioniers in a town in the Haarlemmermeer municipality in the providence of North Holland in the Netherlands.
Mannessen wanted Ruelas to come play in a semi-professional national league. It was an opportunity Ruelas never saw coming.
“I kinda didn’t know what to think at first,” said the now 22-year-old Ruelas. “I was still looking for jobs and then I talked to my parents and they just told me to take the opportunity because it was one that will probably never come around again. So I took it.”
Moving to a different country could be tough on anyone at the beginning but as soon as Ruelas stepped off the plane she had family-like support.
“It was a lot different than I thought it was going to be,” she said. “Everyone was super nice and when I got to the airport half the team was there to greet me and that just showed me they were great people.”
Ruelas spent more than four months abroad, from May to October, competing with teams from all over the nation as a pitcher, first baseman and an outfielder.
“There were two different seasons over there. The first season I would pitch and play either first base or the outfield and then when that season was over there was a break then we played a second season where I only pitched.” Ruelas said. “The competition wasn’t as intense as it is in the States, but it was still pretty tough.”
After her play in the Netherlands, she returned to Brawley with a renewed drive to stay involved in softball. Luckily for her, her brother had a traveling youth softball team with room for a new coach.
“When I got back my brother just told me, ‘You’re going to help coach my team,’” Ruelas said with a laugh. “But I didn’t mind it because I wanted to bring my experience to the girls and showing them that softball can take them somewhere too.”
Ruelas is coaching the Imperial Valley Eclipse 14-and-under softball travel team. Even though she’s not on the field anymore, she has definitely taken a liking to coaching.
“I really enjoy coaching and teaching these girls. I enjoy just giving back and being able to teach them the mental game that is so important at this age,” Ruelas said. “I really want to continue coaching until I’m old enough not to.”
As far as returning to the diamond, “I’m not ruling out me never playing again down the line somewhere, but as of right now I’m happy.”
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