When it’s the last time anyone does something, there’s bittersweet feelings and thoughts that come. Former Vian Lady Wolverines softball player Greenlee Wells is no exception.
Wells will start her final college softball season, and perhaps last competitive softball season ever, when she and her Oklahoma Baptist University Bison open their season at the Lone Star Invitational in Mansfield, Texas, with two games on Friday against Minnesota State-Moorehead at 10 a.m. and against the University of Texas-Dallas at 12:14 p.m., two Saturday games against Eastern New Mexico at 2:30 p.m. and the University of Central Missouri at 4:45 p.m. and the final game at 1:30 p.m. Sunday against Missouri Southern.
“It doesn’t seem real to say the least,” Wells said about beginning her final collegiate softball season. “It just seems like I started (college softball) yesterday.”
However, the former Vian Lady Wolverine is just as excited for the season to get underway.
“Honestly, it’s surreal,” Wells said. “To say the least, college years fly by. The fact that we start (this Friday) just blows my mind. The excitement I have, honestly, I can barely keep it inside.”
Last season was her first-ever at a NCAA Division II school, so needless to say there was a learning curve Wells experienced.
“It was very eye opening,” she said. “Honestly, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I just prayed about it. As a little kid, you always pray about playing softball at the next level, so the fact that I had the opportunity at the Division II level made me want to work hard. I knew I could do this, so I just went out there and played like I knew how to play. It was eye opening. I had more failures than successes. I’m taking last season, the first season and the first time I saw the kind of pitchers and hitters I’ve seen, and taking it into this season. I’m basically just telling myself last season was all right, but it was just decent in my eyes. I’m prepared for this season, and I’m better than I was last season.”
Something the Vian product has not done at any level is make it to the big one — such as a state tournament, the NJCAA Women’s College World Series and the NCAA Division II Women’s College World Series, which is where Wells would like to see her softball career end.
“I don’t think I would be able to put it into words,” she said. “I’ve never truly made it that far — whether it was at high school, my JUCO (at Eastern Oklahoma State College) or last year. Last year was the furthest I’ve made it (the Great American Conference Tournament). With it being my last year that we made it that far last year, I don’t think I could praise the Lord enough that I couldn’t stop crying.”
The biggest thing that has Wells pondering is what will happen when her softball career comes to a close.
“I have (thought about it) a little bit, but not too much,” Wells said. “I’ve thought about it a little bit, thinking, ‘O my gosh, what am I going to do without softball?’ That’s what I’ve done my whole life to get to the point where I am now. Once softball is over, I’ll have to get into the real world. It’s scary, but it’s going to be so different when after growing up with something you’ve done your whole life, now it’s like what is my next step. I’m not going to have to wake up anymore going to practice. I’ve thought about it (life after softball) a little bit, but I’m not trying to think about it too much so that it won’t fly by as fast as it already does.”
For now, Wells is just enjoying her final days as an OBU Bison.
“I’m having so much fun,” she said.
