ABAC Coach Jennifer
Walls and ABAC Assistant Coach Mike Reed at a Golden Fillies ’ game .
“ We had a great team at Arizona , and I got to pitch in the College World Series in 2009 ,” Walls said “ We lost that game to Alabama . It was the last of game of my collegiate career .”
But her expertise on the softball mound earned her a spot playing professional softball in Italy for 13 months . Young . Carefree . Traveling . Playing softball . Life was good .
“ Yes , it was great ,” Walls said with a wide smile . “ You get paid a little more overseas than in the United States . I wanted to travel and play pro ball . I got to have both of those experiences .”
When she came home from the land of gondolas and historic sculptures , Walls was looking for a place to continue her education at the master ’ s degree level .
“ I applied to a bunch of colleges in February and got one call back in July ,” Walls said .
That call was draped in a thick , Southern accent . Georgia Southwestern University offered her an opportunity in Americus , Georgia .
“ I really thought it was a prank call ,” Walls said with a laugh . “ I had applied to like 40 colleges and I didn ’ t get a call back from any of them .”
The GSW numbers were solid . Her graduate assistantship would pay for her entire degree , housing and a monthly stipend if she would be the Hurricanes ’ pitching coach .
“ So , in August of 2012 , I loaded up my car and drove across the country for my first visit to Georgia ,” Walls said . “ Oh , the humidity . Oh , the gnats . I didn ’ t even know what gnats were .”
But she found out about gnats and more importantly , Southern hospitality . She discovered a place of comfort at Georgia Southwestern . In 2015 , she graduated with her master ’ s degree .
Back to California she goes . Her mother passed away from cancer the same year .
“ I was living with my dad and he wasn ’ t doing all that good ,” Walls said . “ I told him one day , ‘ I miss Georgia .
“ I had been in communication with Donna Campbell , the softball coach at ABAC , and I knew she was retiring from coaching . She told me that I should apply for her job . So , I took a shot in the dark .”
10 TiftonScene | JULY 2022