Softball Breakthrough Series creates life-changing bonds

VERO BEACH, Fla. -- For many participating in MLB’s Softball Breakthrough Series at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex last weekend, it was the peak of their summer and proof that their hard work has paid off.

But for a select group of players, it was the end of a life-changing summer spent competing against the best and learning from coaches who once walked in their shoes.

Bria Sewell and Keamani Fujimoto of the DC Elite Nike RBI team and Laila Robins and Ziya Donaldson of the Houston Astros Youth Academy participated in all four of the MLB-affiliated softball events in Vero Beach: The Elite Development Invitational, Jennie Finch Classic, RBI World Series and Breakthrough Series. For Sewell, the opportunity to play at the four events proved what she’s capable of on the field.

“It means a lot to me because it means I can accomplish anything I put my mind to,” Sewell said. “I just work really hard with my team to get my team together, and it feels great just to be here at all four [events].”

The Softball Breakthrough Series promotes the sport as a viable collegiate option for youth from underrepresented and underserved communities. The event is free for participants, who are selected by invitation only.

Among the coaches mentoring the players at the Breakthrough Series were Natasha Watley and Lauren Chamberlain.

Watley is a UCLA Athletics Hall of Famer and helped lead the softball program to three straight NCAA College Softball World Series. She’s also a former Olympian, winning a gold medal in 2004 and a silver medal in 2008 for the United States.

Chamberlain played at Oklahoma for four years (2012-2015) and finished her career as the all-time NCAA softball home run leader with 95. That record held for nearly seven years until March 12, 2022, when fellow Oklahoma alumna Jocelyn Alo broke the record.

Chamberlain said that of the four softball events, the Breakthrough Series is the “mecca.”

“I feel like softball players work all summer to be invited to this, so you know you’re the best of the best,” Chamberlain said. “These players show up, and they’re surrounded by greatness. The coaches are great. Everybody is upping their level of play and competition when they come to the Breakthrough Series.”

The Breakthrough Series involves fewer players than the other three events, which Watley noted leads to more one-on-one time between the players and coaches. While players have an opportunity to learn from the best of the best on the field, Watley feels that isn’t where players make the biggest jump.

“Where most of the growth happens is off the field,” she said. “Just being in this environment of excellence, and that expectation for these girls to rise to the occasion. Just to build that confidence of speaking to someone that you never met before. …The biggest thing for them is to be able to grow not only as athletes but to grow as women.”

That growth off the field is one that Robins noticed from when she participated in her first softball event.

“I’ve matured a lot because [at] the first event, I was very quiet and didn’t really talk to anybody except for the teammates that I knew that were here with me,” Robins said. “Now it’s nothing. I just talk to anybody, and everybody’s open and everyone’s having fun. It’s a better experience off the field when we’re not playing the game.”

Fujimoto echoed Robins’ sentiment about opening up, compared to when she was more to herself when she first came to Vero Beach. She also noted the effect it had on her mindset.

“I’ve opened up a lot,” Fujimoto said. “I used to be really shy, I didn’t really talk a lot, but being out here I’ve made a whole bunch of new friendships and been open to a lot of conversations with different coaches. Just taking everything in has really humbled me.”

For Donaldson, participating in all four events has laid the foundation for her to pay it forward and pass the knowledge she’s accumulated to those who didn’t have the same opportunity as her.

“I hope to take away more ways to impact softball players on the field and off the field,” Donaldson said. “Showing other girls of color how to be confident on the field and off the field and just show out everywhere you go. Softball’s not your whole life -- it’s just something that you do.”

For Sewell, interacting with Watley meant the world to her.

“She’s somebody I really look up to,” Sewell said. “Especially her slapping and everything. I’m really trying to progress my slapping, so I do look up to her for that. It means a lot that she knows me by name.”