Elk Grove senior Ariana Trausch’s softball career didn’t come by choice at first. She was just 6 years old when her parents signed her up to play.

After many years of playing for the park district and different club teams, Trausch came around to loving softball. First it was for the fun of the game, but once she reached high school, her point of view on the sport changed. 

“I realized I wanted to play softball in college during my freshman year of high school,” Trausch said. “Before that, I was just focused on having fun and creating new friends through the sport.”

Once she decided that she wanted to continue the sport in college, Trausch began the long process of recruitment. 

If an athlete wants to be recruited by a college, they must have a lot of patience for it, and the process looks different for every athlete.

“The recruiting process is very difficult and stressful but totally worth it in the end,” Trausch said. “It’s a lot of sending emails and posting your highlights on Twitter.”

Along with keeping up with her Twitter posts, Trausch has also made numerous trips of college visits. 

“I have traveled to a lot of college campuses throughout my recruiting process,” Trausch said. 

After a few visits, Trausch eventually decided on Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois, where she will continue playing softball and study digital media and journalism. 

“It’s close to home, the softball coach is super nice, and it felt like the right school for me,” Trausch said. 

Now that Trausch has found her future home for the next four years, she advises future athletes that to stick with their sport.

“The key to success is being consistent,” she said. “If you want to play at the next level you need to find a routine that will set you up for success.”