{"href":"http://player.captivate.fm/services/oembed?url=http%3A%2F%2Fplayer.captivate.fm%2Fepisode%2F654ab835-8f85-4399-bd46-30ce10772255","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Captivate.FM","provider_url":"https://www.captivate.fm","width":600,"height":200,"type":"rich","html":"<iframe style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px;\" title=\"USA softball and gold medal aspirations | Keilani Ricketts [INT]\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allow=\"clipboard-write\" seamless src=\"http://player.captivate.fm/episode/654ab835-8f85-4399-bd46-30ce10772255\"></iframe>","title":"USA softball and gold medal aspirations | Keilani Ricketts [INT]","description":"THE PRODUCT OF HARD WORK, DETERMINATION AND DOING ALL YOU CAN FOR THE TEAMMATES YOU LOVE TO PLAY WITH<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\n Today&#8217;s guest is widely regarded as one of the best softball players in the world. She became a softball household name at the University of Oklahoma. There she became a Two-Time USA Softball Collegiate Softball Player of the Year, 4 time NFCA All-American and National Champion .<br />\r\nShe began her international career with the USA Women\u2019s national team in 2011 and 2012 helping the team to a Pan American gold medal and an ISF World Championship silver medal. In 2013, she was drafted in the National Professional Fastpitch first round as fourth overall pick to the USSSA Pride. She has been a part of 5 regular season championships as well as 3 Cowles Cup championships with the Pride.She also played overseas from 2013-2018 in the Japan Softball League for Toyota Industries.<br />\r\nNow she volunteers at her alma mater, mentoring and teaching players on the current number one team in the nation. She throws batting practice to the players to stay in shape and test her skills as she prepares for the final Olympic team tryouts early next year.<br />\r\nPlease welcome College phenom, Professional Athlete, National Team Member and Olympic hopeful,\u00a0Keilani Ricketts!<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\nToday we discuss &#8230;<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\n* Her goals for making the USA Olympic roster\u00a0<br />\r\n* How pitching BP to the Oklahoma hitters is helping her prepare<br />\r\n* How she built her own confidence through putting in the work and controlling the controllables<br />\r\n* Her advice to young players<br />\r\n* The secret to Oklahoma&#8217;s success so far<br />\r\n* How to keep up with her and the National Team!<br />\r\n<br />\r\nFollow Keilani\u00a0on <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https://www.instagram.com/laniricketts10/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Instagram</a>,\u00a0<a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https://twitter.com/laniricketts10\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Twitter</a>, &amp; <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/laniricketts10/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Facebook</a> If you&#8217;d like to learn more about her camps, lessons, and where she&#8217;ll be playing with Team USA, head to <a href=\"https://www.keilaniricketts.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">keilaniricketts.com</a>!<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\n<br />\r\nCOACHING CHALLENGE | Show your girls the possibilities<br />\r\nRegardless of whether or not your players will ever have the chance to play at the level Keilani does, seeing this level of play in inspiring. So our challenge to you this week is to get your girls to see Team USA and Pro League games.<br />\r\nYou can watch the Pro League games on\u00a0<a href=\"https://www.flosoftball.com/events/6472520-2019-npf-schedule\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">FloSoftball</a> starting later this month or see them in person if you live near Mankato, MN (Aussie Peppers), Daytona Beach, FL (Beijing Shougang Eagles), Marion, IL (Canadian Wild), Chicago, IL (Bandits), Cleveland, OH (Comets), or Melbourne, FL (USSSA Pride).\u00a0<br />\r\nTeam USA events can be found on <a href=\"https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Softball?gclid=CjwKCAjwiN_mBRBBEiwA9N-e_jyOYAuU1UIc29uYB2km1_6D3pPOZUJYjchoK2Y8TAs6IpcPmC6lvhoC5f8QAvD_BwE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">their site</a>. They&#8217;ll be playing throughout the summer and gearing for their final tryout some time around the New Year. This is an exciting time for softball as NCAA ball is gaining unprecedented popularity, making softball an official revenue sport now. But we can&#8217;t stop there. Supporting the Pro and National teams is how we keep Olympic dreams alive for the sport and players we love.\u00a0<br />\r\n","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/561879c4-8029-4c1a-8b3a-a310fbbf981e/podcast.jpg"}