Strawberry Crest’s softball team is young, but isn’t lacking senior leadership. One of the team’s three seniors, Brandy Ashmore, is looking to teach the lessons she learned as an underclassman to her young teammates and, should all go well, help get the Lady Chargers back into the playoffs. On Wednesday, Feb. 1, Ashmore signed with Pasco-Hernando State College, where she will play softball after graduating from high school.
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What are you looking forward to about this season?
Just being with the girls for my final year, more than anything.
What’s the most fun part about playing for this team?
Definitely the family bond that we have together. We’re all very, very close, and we kid together, which is fun.
What’s the most fun you have with this team?
We mess with each other quite a bit. We play games like “Pepper,” especially. It’s a game where you bunt, and you have to try to dive and catch it. It’s pretty fun.
What’s the funniest thing that’s happened since you’ve been on this team?
Definitely Stephanie Dwyer laying out for balls at second base whenever I was playing right field last year. We were kind of a team, a mini-team, inside of a team.
What’s your proudest moment as a Lady Charger?
It’s hard to pick. Probably just being on the team, just being with the girls. I didn’t really expect to play college ball whenever I came here, so having that on top of what I have here is just awesome.
What do you want to major in?
I want to be a physical therapist and stay in sports medicine.
Pasco-Hernando is a two-year school, so I’m sure you have plans for after that.
Yeah, I’m hoping to transfer to St. Leo, hopefully, and continue softball there. If not, I’ll figure it out as I go.
What’s your favorite position to play?
Outfield.
What’s the coolest thing you’ve done on a softball field?
Going to states, for sure, with my high school team.
Who’s your favorite athlete? Is there anyone you look up to, or try to model your game after?
Samantha Tyler.
Crest alum. What made you look up to her?
Coming into my freshman year, she kind of took me under her wing. Especially with the dominating team of seven seniors, me coming as a freshman, I was scared to death. It’s her drive for the game, how serious she takes it just really inspired me.
What’s the best advice you’ve gotten from a coach or teammate?
It’s a team sport. You can’t do it by yourself. Do your job, and your teammates will do their job.
Do you play any other sports?
Just softball. I played basketball in middle school but, other than that, no. My family, we run bird dogs, so outside of softball, I go from the field to the bird dog field.
Is there any sport you’ve never tried, but always wanted to?
Tennis.
If you could meet any famous person, who would it be and what would you want to do?
Kevin Kiermaier, and we can go on a date.
How far can this team go, this year?
I think we can go all the way again if we have enough heart, honestly.