Iowa softball鈥檚 Jalen Adams wants a Fort Dodge state title
FORT DODGE, Iowa (BVM) 鈥� Jalen Adams was announced as the 2021-22 Gatorade Iowa Softball Player of the Year in early June. For the Iowa softball commit, it was one of the final goals she wanted to accomplish before becoming a Hawkeye.聽
鈥淲hen I found out, I was just so excited and so happy because it鈥檚 been a goal of mine for a long time,鈥� Adams said. 鈥淛ust to be thought of as the player for Iowa is such a cool experience.鈥�
It was also an honor because Adams understands what it means to be considered one of, if not the best softball players in Iowa. There is a list of other players, girls Adams knows, that also had a shot at the award.
鈥淚 always knew that I was going to have a lot of competition and I would have to work really hard,鈥� Adams said. 鈥淭o be able to represent Iowa out of all these good players is such a cool experience.鈥澛�
Representing her state means so much to her that it was a pivotal reason why she decided to stay home for college rather than going to play softball somewhere else.聽
鈥淭hat was honestly one of the final deciding factors,鈥� Adams said. 鈥淏eing able to play for the state you grew up in, the people you鈥檝e been around your whole life, it’s such a cool experience. To be able to say that I鈥檓 from Iowa, I鈥檓 going to become a Hawkeye and just to be able to play for the University of Iowa is a really cool thing to say.鈥澛�
Being able to say it also allows her to hopefully be a part of the reason more softball players from Iowa stay home. Adams wants to showcase that you don鈥檛 have to leave Iowa to play great college softball.聽聽聽聽
But before she can do that at the collegiate level, she has to finish one more goal as a high schooler: win another state title after leading Fort Dodge to their first ever title last season. As a junior, Adams had 25 wins along with 219 strikeouts and a 0.66 ERA. Her pitching helped the Dodgers to 25 shutouts and a 38-4 overall record.聽
That success played a part in her Gatorade Player of the Year award but it also motivated her to be ready to get Fort Dodge back to the state championship game.聽
鈥淭hat’s been my biggest motivation as of now after receiving the Gatorade Player of the Year,鈥� Adams said. 鈥淛ust going out there knowing that I have what it takes to help carry my team to another state title.鈥澛�
Fort Dodge is off to a great start. The team is younger this year but seniors like Jalen Adams and fellow Iowa Hawkeye commit are being more vocal this year to help the younger players get acclimated. It also doesn鈥檛 hurt that the Dodgers know every time they step out onto the diamond, they have a state player of the year with them.聽
That confidence and the goal of being a Gatorade State Player of the Year began a long time ago. It also began when Adams received a change in management and a new coach stepped in to help reach her full potential.聽
As a kid, Adams tried most sports but then she found softball. However, to Adams, it was just a sport, something fun to do. There was no real desire to do anything other than just play.聽
鈥淚 would be in the outfield picking flowers and chasing butterflies,鈥� Adams said.聽
At the time, she was being coached by her dad. Then her mom stepped in.聽
鈥淢y dad was my coach up until I was probably 10 or 11 and up until that point, I was just playing softball. I didn’t really know if it was my thing yet,鈥� Adams said. 鈥淭hen my mom took over when I was 12, I believe, for my team and she just started pushing me and motivating me.鈥澛�
Adams鈥� mom helped her become the player and person she is today. And since then, hasn鈥檛 left her side in the dugout, becoming the head coach at Fort Dodge. It is a family dynamic that has become second nature for Adams.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 really nice having her there all the time because she can be mom and my coach at the same time,鈥� Adams said.聽
As Adams continued to find herself as a player, the hard work she was putting in began to pay off. She was getting better and seeing the return on her investment had her thinking about how far she could possibly take her softball career.聽
鈥淪tarting to see my work pay off,鈥� Adams said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 where it really started to get to me, 鈥楬ey I鈥檓 really getting pretty good at this, like this is something that I could pursue.鈥� I never looked back after that.鈥澛�
Adams began going to more combines, travel tournaments and showcases. She reached out to college coaches and really made an effort to kick start the recruiting process. According to Adams, all of that worked but there were also plenty of times when a coach would notice her while scouting another player, then invite Adams to their camp after the game.聽
Interestingly enough, Iowa was not one of those colleges. Adams hadn鈥檛 reached out to them and she had never attended one of their camps but once colleges were officially able to recruit, the Hawkeyes called only a few days later.聽
The recruiting went on until the opportunity to stay at home and represent her state as well as the facilities, culture and people at Iowa won Adams over. She verbally committed and then signed a national letter of intent last fall.聽
Soon she will be in Iowa City and preparing for her collegiate career. Until then, she will be going after a second state title and showing everyone what it means to represent Iowa.聽
