In My Own Words: Taryn Atlee
3/31/2020
From the infield diamond to the freshly-cut grass of the outfield, the softball field will always be home for me. I knew this at a very young age. The feeling of running around the bases and diving all over the place sparked a forever love for this sport at such a young age. 18 years later, and I still can’t get enough. How lucky am I?
For as long as I can remember, I have always been competitive in absolutely everything I take part in. From playing cards to cornhole, to winning pitches in an at-bat to doing well in my classes, competing with everything I have is all I’ve ever known how to do. That competitive spirit stemmed from having a brother who was four years older and better in seemingly everything we did. My goal at a young age was simple: Be better than Drake. Run faster. Throw harder. Field smoother. Hit better. Anything he did, I wanted to do, and be better. While I was striving for what seemed nearly impossible, this drive sparked a burning fire to be better in everything I did for the rest of my life.
You don’t realize how fortunate you are until you look back years later and realize that a dad willing to hit you 100 groundballs every day and a brother to turn two with isn’t quite the norm. Of course, the norm isn’t exactly how I’d define my story. I’ve had coaches throughout my entire softball career who were dedicated to building me not just as a player, but as a person. And as for my teammates, they’ve made these last 18 years of hard work, sweat, and occasional tears worth every second. How lucky am I?
Fast forward 15+ years later, and I am exactly where seven-year-old Taryn dreamed to be: playing for the best university in the world, competing alongside my best friends. People often have this structured view of what a home is. For me, my home is measured by white chalk lines, purple fences, and looking out over Lake Washington. Home is Husky Stadium.
They say home is where the heart is, and I have no doubt that for me, that’s Husky Softball.
