The path to become an NCAA Division-I athlete is a long and arduous one, and each athlete’s story is different. The Banner interviewed Amanda Argomaniz, senior political science major and member of the California Baptist University softball team, to ask her about her journey as an athlete and what brought her to play softball at CBU.
1. How did you first get involved in softball?
I first got involved playing softball by playing baseball. My dad is a huge baseball fan. All of my uncles and cousins all played baseball, so it was essentially in my blood.
When I was younger, my dad put me in the local baseball league for tee ball.
The next year when I went back to play baseball again, they told my dad they had just created a softball league down the street. My dad took me to sign up and from that moment on softball had become my sport.
2. What brought you to play softball at CBU?
What brought me to CBU was the culture. I absolutely fell in love with the dynamic presented here on the softball team as well as campus itself. The CBU softball team really emphasizes family.
Our motto this year is CARE, which stands for celebrate and appreciate relationships every day. This is a great motto to have and really emphasizes the dynamic here at CBU.
Additionally, I remember on my visit, a tour guide told me people here are ridiculously nice. That couldn’t be more true.
The small deeds that people do here every day at CBU to make people’s day really shows how great of a campus this is.
3. As you reflect on your softball career, what have you enjoyed the most?
This is my final year of playing softball. I have played the sport for over 15 years now and there is one clear thing that I have enjoyed the most. That is the friendships I have made along the way.
About three-fourths of the friends I have had all played softball at one point in their lives. Softball is such a great sport that brings people together.
I have been lucky to have met some of my best friends through the sport. I know that many of these girls will be in my life for a long time and I will forever be in debt to this sport because of it.
Through all of the conditioning, wins, losses and tough times, my teammates have had my back through it all. I will forever be thankful to my team because of it.
From my recreational league of Eastvale Girls Softball to my travel ball team, to CBU, these girls have impacted my life in so many ways and I will forever be thankful. I can’t wait to finish out these final months with my girls.
Shout out to every CBU softball team from 2019-22. These girls will forever mean the world to me, and I am so thankful for their friendships.
And one final shoutout to my family. The memories that the four of us have made from traveling to all types of places for softball will never be matched.The amount of support that my parents and sister show are amazing.
The hotels, long car rides and exhausting 100-degree days of softball have all been worth it. These are the memories I will never forget, and I will forever be thankful for them.