‘This season is for Fitty’

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“Even when you’ve played the game of your life, it’s the feeling of teamwork that you’ll remember. You’ll forget the plays, the shots, and the scores, but you’ll never forget your teammates,” Deborah Miller Palmore, basketball Olympian, said.

Fatima Larios, No. 20, sophomore softball player of Monterey, California, passed away early Saturday morning. Her passing has been felt campus-wide, but the loss hit the softball team the hardest.

Losing someone is never easy, but when you lose a friend, a teammate, a leader, and a family member, all wrapped into one person, it’s devastating.

“She was definitely a leader,” teammate Aspen Eubanks, freshman of Broomfield, Colorado, said. “She led by example.”

Jessica Eatmon, senior softball player of Broomfield, Colorado, said Larios was going to be a leader, a power hitter, and a motivator this season.

The softball team was voted by RMAC coaches in January to finish sixth in the 2015 RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll. The team finished second in the conference last season and they plan to win the championship title this season. There are seven starters returning from last season.

“This season we are going to go as hard as we possibly can because that is how Fatima played,” Eatmon said. “This season we are playing for Fitty (Larios).”

Larios gave a motivational speech the day before she passed. She talked about her goals for the season. Larios wanted to “make noise in the RMAC and go to the conference tournament,” Eatmon said.

“This season, we will play for her and win the RMAC for her,” Casey Polk, senior softball player of Golden, Colorado, said.

“Our biggest goal for the season is to make it back to the conference tournament,” Head Softball Coach Robert Stack said. “With the experience we gained by participating in the tournament last season, we are looking to build on that momentum.”

Larios was listed on the CSC softball team roster as an outfielder and second baseman. Polk said she was going to play third base.  Larios played for Austin Peay State University as a freshman.

“We were very fortunate that Fatima chose Chadron State to continue her softball career,” Stack said.

As a teammate, Larios pushed her teammates to do their best and to work hard at all times.

“Fatima was the kind of person that would remind us all that the game was fun,” Eatmon said. “We started playing softball because it was fun. She was the spirit of the team. She made us all smile and laugh. She has the biggest heart and let us all know how special we were all the time. She had crazy stories and crazy swag. She was truly a beautiful person and an even better teammate.”

“She was the most amazing teammate,” Polk said. “She was always so positive and the hardest worker on the field.”

“Loud. She was the one to always motivate us to keep going even though we wanted to give up,” Eubanks said. “She was the best teammate I’ve ever had.”

“Fatima was a phenomenal team player,” Stack said. “In her short time with us, she had a tremendously positive impact on, not just the team, but everyone else who knew her.”

Stack said Larios was a natural at third base and in the outfield because of her “awesome arm.”

This weekend, the softball team dives into the season with a tournament at the Eckerd College Invitational in Clearwater, Florida.

The team will play two games Friday against Eckerd College and Barry University, two games Saturday against Saint Leo University and the University of Tampa, and two games Sunday against Palm Beach Atlantic University and Lynn University.

“We had our first practice back from everything on Monday and it was hard,” Polk said. “We would have random breakdowns and just needed time to sit and think. Tuesday’s practice was much smoother. We had a few moments of weakness, but each day we get stronger and embrace what we are facing. I think that we are ready to play in Florida and show the true strength of our family with the help of our angel.

“This weekend we want to have fun and just play softball. Fatima always said, ‘Win or lose, if you gave it your best shot than that’s all that matters.’ So that’s what we will do in Florida. We will give it all we have in her name,” Polk said.

“The goal for the weekend is to be competitive,” Stack said. “We have six non-conference games this weekend, followed by six more non-conference games next weekend. We will use these 12 games to see where our players are going to excel, on the field, in the circle, hitting, etc., so that when our conference season starts on Feb. 21, we are playing solid, consistent softball.”

Stack said he will use these games to try players at different positions to find the best positions for the team.

The team’s first home game will be March 7 against Black Hills State University.

“Fatima was a tremendous person, friend, and teammate,” Stack said. “She will be missed greatly this year and years to come. We have been blessed by having had Fatima be part of our lives, even if it was a short time. We will remember her for the rest of our lifetimes. That passion and love Fatima had for softball has instilled a fire within us to play for her, her family, and each other this season.”

“Every game that we play this year is going to be special,” Polk said. “No other team has an angel like Fatima helping them out from above. One of her jerseys and her new glove will travel with us to every game and will be in our dugout. At home games, we will play Fitty’s favorite songs on our warm up playlist. We know that the community, student body, and families will help us with every home game. Fatima touched so many lives and I know they will all be supporting her and us throughout our entire season.” 

“I just want this experience to show everyone how truly short this life is,” Eatmon said. “Don’t forget to tell the people you love that you love them, hug longer, complain less, and love fully because you never know when someone can be ripped out of your life. I want people to celebrate Fatima’s incredible life and not mourn because we all know she is the life of the party in Heaven. #ForeverFitty.”

“We love you Fatima. #ForeverFitty,” Eubanks said.