By Lilyen McCarthy
After spending her first three years of school in California, senior transfer Sabrina Morales decided to move her career to the east coast last semester in hopes for a bit more playing time. Morales’ first two collegiate seasons at California State University San Marcos were canceled due to Covid-19. Her first full season at San Marcos as a junior didn’t play out how she would have liked, and she wanted something better for her senior year. Born and raised 20 minutes from the heart of Los Angeles, moving over to the east coast was a bit of an adjustment.
Consistent weather allowed for her schedule to be less chaotic at her previous school. Her days would start with early classes and end with a practice at the same time almost every day.
“Here [Long Island] we don’t know our exact practice time until the day of, depending on how the weather is looking. It makes it hard to plan things,” said Morales. As a positive adjustment, she enjoyed the change in team culture.
Coming from California, the psychology major felt her new teammates were more invested in each other and their friendships than her previously more “laid-back” teammates. Morales only knew head coach Carla Campagna from previous recruitment before joining AU softball, but she began what she thinks will be long-term friendships with the team immediately.
“It’s nice knowing you have teammates who support you through hard times, know when you’re off, when with the old team we were just there to play softball,” she said.
The second baseman is in her last semester of her undergraduate psychology degree and still has two seasons of NCAA eligibility, but she remains flexible to how her future will unfold.
“I think the path I want to go is to be a graduate assistant, grad student somewhere, wherever I can really pay for school for me. If I can get a scholarship to play softball another two years, I would do it. It just depends on what is more beneficial for me,” said Morales.
After her time at Adelphi and whichever graduate school she attends, Morales wants to work as a child life specialist, working with children in hospitals and helping families through terminal diagnoses. The job overall would be helping to keep a child occupied and upbeat while going through extreme treatment such as chemotherapy.
Her dream of working with children is inspired by her 12-year-old brother who is diagnosed with ADD, ADHD, ODD and autism.
“Growing up he was my best friend, and we were very close, still are to this day,” Morales said. “Hearing him say things like ‘I want to be like you when I grow up’ and him doing school projects about me made me want to be that influence for other young kids.”
Morales misses her younger brother and family every day, but she tries to soak in every moment and memory she can as her senior year comes to a close. Given the choice between staying for an entire basketball game and leaving early, for example, she chose to watch the rest of the game.
Adelphi softball holds their home opener Tuesday, March 14 on Janet L. Ficke Field. Walk over to the field behind Residence Hall A or tune in at NE10now.tv to watch Morales and the rest of her team against the College of Staten Island.
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