Redshirt freshman to Player of the Year: Softball standout's inspiring journey at YSU
She was red-shirted and relegated to bullpen catcher, forced to watch from the sidelines as the Penguins won 36 games including the Horizon League Regular Season Championship.
Imler stayed quiet and let her work do the talking.
'When she came in as a freshman, I probably heard her say three words the whole time she was here,' says YSU softball coach Brian Campbell. 'She led by example.'
'I feel like every opportunity I got to go warm up a pitcher for a game, I was like, oh I'll do it, I'll do it,' says Imler. 'The more you do and the more you're putting yourself out there, the better chance you have. I just really wanted to work hard, just really push that door open.'
Over the next three years, Imler went from bullpen catcher to starting shortstop, from red-shirt freshman to First Team All-Conference.
'I gained my confidence over those three years for sure. So that definitely helps,' says Imler. 'And then instead of worrying about myself, it was more, what can I do for the team?'
Last year, the Penguins, again, tied a school record with 36 wins and claimed another regular season conference title. But this time, it was Imler leading the way. She hit .340, stole 14 bases, finished among the top ten in the league in batting average, top five in runs scored, and to her surprise, became just the fourth player in program history to be named Horizon League Player of the Year.
'I mean, I was shocked,' says Imler. 'So it was a lot of emotions and like, just proud of myself.'
'I announced that on the field and I wanted to make sure that there was a camera on her when what it was said,' says Campbell. 'Because in 29 years of coaching, that was probably something that I will take with me. You know, those are special moments. And I think that that's something that I will take with me, by just the expression on that kid's face.'
Imler is now a fifth-year senior and leader on a team with 13 underclassmen, and her advice for those younger players?
'Just take every opportunity you can. Give it 100%, work hard every day, even on the hard days, because there were a lot of hard days. Just got to push through that.'
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