One of the Runner’s youngest and talented softball players is Shaylene Fuimaono. She sits down to discuss this current season and how she is feeling as the team prepares for a series of games against the Hawai’i Rainbow Wahine this weekend. When discussing what inspired her to become a softball player, she gave credit to her family.  

“My family as a whole. We grew up in a softball family. It started with my parents and my grandparents playing slow pitch then they decided to put my older cousin in and we kind of just followed her and decided to carry on that legacy.” 

She goes on to say that she started at the age of ten, which is late compared to other kids starting the game. This is because her father did not want her getting burnt out before making it to play college ball. After completing a year in this sport Fuimaono decided with her father that this was something she wanted to keep pursuing and took the steps to make sure she could compete at the highest level.  

Due to COVID-19 and all the safety precautions that were put in place because of it, it was hard for Fuimaono to tour any campuses and even when allowed to visit a campus she was not allowed to talk to the coaches. This did not only affect her, but all ten first-year softball players that are on the team this year. What helped her decide to join the Runners was talking to Coach Ziegler through virtual calls and the coach believing in the talents she has as a softball player.  

“She really sold me on the fact that she is going to rebuild this program. Coming into the Big West we are the underdogs, and we still have a lot to work on, but we are making a name for ourselves in the Big West and that is what sold me on being here.”  

As she looks at her overall performance up to this point in the season, she is determined to improve her skills and believes she has the right mindset to continue to get better.  

Now looking forward to the games this weekend she feels prepared and shared that the team feels ready to go. They are currently set to be playing in the hometown of teammates Cydney and Cieana Curran’s family. Cydney Curran is the current captain for the runners and Fuiamono shares that the team wants to go out there and perform to the best of their abilities in front of their captain’s family.  

“Cydney and Cieana just welcomed me with open arms. That is family right there so, I think a lot of us are going to play for them this weekend and put on a show for our hometown.”