Lisa Fernandez

timeline

born 1971

Lisa Fernandez grew up in a sports household. Her dad played semipro baseball in Cuba; her mom played slowpitch {sometimes with Lisa in the family living room!}. When she graduated to competitive fastpitch softball, her coach told her that she didn't have the build to be a pitcher. Not only did Lisa refuse to step away from the mound, she became the best player in the history of the game.

Her senior year at UCLA, she led the nation in both pitching + batting. And, was understandably dubbed the NCAA's top female athlete. When women's softball became an Olympic sport, Lisa promised her country would top the podium. She led Team USA to 3 golds in a row. Today, the former Bruins pitcher is now a Bruins coach who has turned her winning experiences into wisdom, inspiration + drive for the next generation of ace players.

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her quotes

all quotes by Lisa Fernandez (10)

"We're winning the Gold."
Team USA Softball | january 1996

"The greatest things are the challenges; that’s what you remember the most."
Long Beach Magazine | july 2011

"In case the game did go 25 innings and it was 110 degrees, I wanted to be ready to compete. And, still wanted to be at my best from the first inning to the 25th inning or however long it took."
Long Beach Magazine | july 2011

"If I didn’t play hard enough, then we didn’t play. If I cheated, then we didn’t play...If I cried, it wasn’t going to happen. My dad said, ‘You play with heart and guts.’ That is what was instilled in me."
An athlete for all seasons | september 2012

"If you have a love for this game, then show it. And encourage a girl to do the same."
An athlete for all seasons | september 2012

"Physically, I don't necessarily think I'm any different than anybody else. It's my mentality...that's allowed me to push myself farther than most would ever go."
Fastpitch Softball TV | june 2015

"I have a growth mindset."
Fastpitch Softball TV | june 2015

"Who’s the one that—when no one else is watching—is really going to do something that’s going to separate them?"
Fastpitch Softball TV | june 2015

"It’s easy to be great when everybody’s watching. And to push yourself. But, when no one’s watching, when you’re training alone, you have to have that inner voice that’s really going to push you over the edge."
Fastpitch Softball TV | june 2015