LAND O’ LAKES, Fla.— Softball has taken Lauren Evans around the world.
“Canada, Japan, Italy, France, England, Netherlands, Poland, just to name a few. It has been fun. It is awesome. I can’t complain I mean I literally get to travel the world and play a game. I am living the life,” said Lauren Evans, a former USF softball player.
A life that all started in Land O’ Lakes.
“It’s just pretty much been my life. I started playing softball when I was seven years old and I am 24 now,” said Evans.
From Academy at the Lakes to USF and Team Great Britain, Evans has represented her hometown and her country.
“So I am a dual citizen of the United Kingdom of great Britain and the United States of America,” said Evans.
Evans’ mom is from Great Britain which gave Lauren the opportunity to live out a lifelong dream.
“Honestly from a young age I’ve always wanted to play international softball. Just seeing people like team USA play, I just wanted to be like them so badly so when I realized I had the opportunity to play with Great Britain it was like a no brainier for me because it was something I always wanted to do,” said Evans.
Throughout her college career she juggled both teams.
“I was a freshman at USF and I would play that whole season and I would give myself like a week or two off then I would go straight into my training for Great Britain and then we would go and play my tournaments wherever it was in the world then I would come back and get right back on the saddle and go play for USF,” said Evans.
With her college days behind her, Evans now has a new challenge.
“So it’s a lot different, now I have a job so I have to do it completely on my own. I don’t get to play in games here like I did when I was still in college so it’s a lot of self motivation,” said Evans.
It’s that self motivation that fuels her goal to play softball until her body says she can’t anymore but her reason why will always stay the same.
“I feel like I have a big responsibly to always set that example and be that idol for someone. I was that kid in their shoes at one point so being the best example I can be softball wise and as a person and as a teammate is what is important to me,” said Evans.
