Carrie Clark boarded a plane in her home state of Florida, bound for Minnesota. She was heading north to adopt her second child, a baby girl named McKenzie. After a long process with a few twists and turns along the way, she was finally able to bring the baby back to the Sunshine State and unite her with Carrie’s son and husband.
Twenty-two years later, that baby girl is all grown up. She decided to attend college out of state because she wanted to challenge herself beyond her comfort zone. And Carrie watched as she did just that – playing Division I softball at Clemson University in a budding program that was being built from the ground up.
After earning conference and national honors and writing her way into the program’s record books, the big question was – what would be next?
McKenzie was wondering too until she received some good news. Immediately, she called her parents back in Florida.
“Remember, all of those pitching lessons and travel ball that you invested in?” she asked them. “Well, it paid off. I am going to play professional softball in Wichita.”
There was a long pause. She could hear her mother starting to tear up on the other end. It was her father, Brian, who then responded with an “I’m proud of you, kid.”
Another pause.
“You made your father very emotional,” Carrie said.
McKenzie was, too. “I didn’t even think professional softball was an avenue I could go down,” she said.
She played a variety of sports growing up, from basketball to volleyball, and of course, softball. Her parents took her everywhere and rarely missed a game. They even made sure to give her role models by exposing her to as many college softball games as they could.
“I would ask them to take me everywhere. We went to games at the University of Florida, UCF, USF, FGCU… anywhere in Florida that was drivable. I just wanted to go watch the older girls play.”
In one phone call, she realized she had become the older girl that she had looked up to as a kid, and she was getting to share that moment with the two people who helped her get there.
However, this was just the beginning of the journey for the Florida native. She boasted a successful season in Wichita (.321 BA, 1.138 SLG%) and, because of her performance, was invited to compete in the Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball Championship Season (now All-Star Cup) in Rosemont.
The rookie excelled again. She was excited. So Clark continued to hone in on her craft. She went to play with Sultanes Femenil in the Mexican Softball League. Yet, as time drew near for the AUSL draft, she wasn’t feeling as confident. Another phone call was made home to Carrie.
“I told my mom, ‘Look, I know I made it last year, but it’s a draft and everyone in the draft is the best of the best, so I’m not sure about this year.’”
Carrie said to her daughter, “Don’t talk like that. We’ll reconvene after the draft. I have high hopes.”
Just like when Carrie drove her daughter to numerous college games so that she would believe she could play at that level, Carrie was again instilling belief in McKenzie. Even if McKenzie didn’t believe in herself right away.
The Clemson alum was feeling impostor syndrome. Although her mom had offered encouragement, Clark still couldn’t even watch the draft. Right before the 11th round, she had a change of heart.
“I figured I would turn it on, and I saw Cat Osterman say my name,” Clark recalls. “I literally had to go back and make sure I heard her right.”
When Clark went back and watched, she heard the general manager of the Volts say, “Her speed is unmatched. She’s underrated offensively, and we’re excited to watch her patrol center field.”
That gave her confidence. The outfielder said that she started to lock in more and fine-tune her skills so that she could be ready when she took the field for the team in purple and green.
“I kept repeating those words to myself. I thought, “If Cat thinks I can do it, then I must be able to do it.”
Osterman believed. Carrie and Brian believed. And after three games with the Volts, it looks like they all might be onto something. On Opening Day of the AUSL, in the top of the eighth inning, McKenzie stepped up to the plate.
The player who couldn’t even watch the draft made history by blasting a three-run home run over the left field wall. It’s the first-ever home run for the franchise, and it extended the lead for the team to help them secure their first victory.
After the game was over, Clark made a phone call to no other but her parents.
“Remember when I didn’t think I would make it?” she asked them. “And now I just did that.”
It was another emotional phone call.
Even with a series under her belt, the second-year pro says she’s still in awe every day, and she doesn’t take this opportunity for granted.
“I’m in a league amongst Olympic players, All Americans. I’m learning from coaches and a general manager who have so much knowledge about the game. It’s mind-boggling,” McKenzie said.
And it’s incredibly touching for her every time she sees young girls in the stands or autograph lines because she was them. McKenzie said if she could give them any advice, it would consist of two things.
“We will figure out a way to continue to grow this game for you. Keep dreaming.”
And secondly, she asks them who brought them to the game.
“Thank them. Thank your parents, your aunts, uncles, all of them, for bringing you here to watch and learn and grow.”
For McKenzie, it’s her parents she continues to thank, and she wants others to do the same. They have given her so much. This game has given her so much. And she hopes to give back to both of them in as many ways as she can.
Maria Trivelpiece is currently the Director of Video Communications and Reporter at the American Athletic Conference and a softball color analyst. Trivelpiece was an outfielder at Fordham University and still stays involved with the game through coaching and covering the sport. You can follow her on X M_Trivelpiece or Instagram @_mariatrivelpiece
