Softball | April 11, 2024

Softball is just a fun sport to watch for some people, but it is a key to a new opportunity for the Pacers' Skylar Morley.
 
Morley, who is a senior set to graduate in December, has been playing softball since she was only seven years old. As a child, she participated in both competitive softball and soccer leagues. The time came to pick only one sport, and Morley decided softball was the right choice.
 
"I just really enjoyed the game," said Morley. "It felt natural being out there on the field."
 
After choosing to stay with softball, the college decision process began. The University of South Carolina Aiken was not always on Morley's radar. Originally, she was verbally committed to a division III school in Maryland. USC Aiken reached out after this, and she could not turn down the opportunity to play at a higher level. 
 
Even though Morley grew up in Maryland, she considered herself a Yankees fan. She was a big Derek Jeter fan, and he was a big inspiration for her.
 
Her stepmother was a ball girl for one of the Yankees' divisional rivals – the Baltimore Orioles. It was around the spring in 2023 when the Orioles reached out to her stepmother to see if she knew of anyone who could help with the team in the summer. Morley was excited to take advantage of this opportunity, and she got the job as the Orioles ball girl in the summer.
 
Some people might assume that a ball girl's only responsibility is to retrieve foul balls, but Morley got to experience so much more. She was responsible for delivering time itineraries to the press boxes and sound crew, helping guide guests who were participating in the first pitch or national anthem, and interacting with fans to make sure they had a great experience. 
 
Morley's favorite part was interacting with the children. She was even told by one child that their first Major League Baseball game was memorable because of these interactions.
 
The hardest days for Morley were the rivalry games. Since the crowds were usually bigger than a standard game, she felt more pressure to perform her job well in front of so many people. She reminded herself that these games were also the most fun because of the intensity and atmosphere, and this helped ease her worry.
 
Morley believes that playing softball for so long not only helped her enjoy the experience, but she also felt more comfortable being in that position. 
 
"Having a knowledge of the game and the rules really helped me," said Morley. 
 
One of her biggest takeaways from working with the Orioles was the simple fact that athletes are humans, too. She said that athletes are held to such unreal standards and are never thought of as actual people. Having interactions with the players helped her realize that they can appreciate the fans and those around them just like we appreciate them.
 
She also loved seeing the support from the community during her time with the Orioles. This past season was their first trip to the playoffs since 2016, and the fans showed up to support their team. Some of her favorite players were rookies Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson. She thought of them as the players who brought the most energy and positivity to the team.
 
Morley has many great experiences with her Pacer teammates, too. One of her favorite memories with the team was the postseason run the Pacers went on in the 2023 season. In the Peach Belt Conference tournament, the Pacers beat nationally-ranked North Georgia and Georgia Southwestern. Both teams were top three seeds in the conference, and the Nighthawks ended up winning the national championship. 
 
As a senior, Morley wants to make sure she leaves a lasting impression. "Demonstrating positive culture" is her number one priority. She considers herself a leader on this team, but she has so much respect for each teammate. She praises her teammates for how much work everyone puts in daily.
 
After graduation, she plans on attending grad school to pursue a career as a mental health counselor for athletes.