by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
Since starting the softball season three weeks ago, the University of Washington Huskies currently have a 15-1 record. The lone loss was to #9 ranked Alabama 8-0.
Second year starting infielder SilentRain Espinoza started off almost to the day from a year ago in an aggressive manner.
SilentRain Espinoza singled in her first-ever collegiate plate appearance a year ago. She continues to play very well a year later as a sophomore. In her season debut this season a day earlier than last year’s first game (Feb. 7), she matched her career high in hits, and drove in three runs.
Last season, SilentRain Espinoza was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman and NFCA All-Region Third Teams.
SilentRain Espinoza went to high school in Alpine, California. She is from the Penobscot and Kumeyaay tribes. Her mother, Mackenzie Espinoza is from the Penobscot tribe in Maine. Her grandfather, Robert Cole, was an enrolled tribal member of the Penobscot tribe. Her father, Greybuck Espinoza is from the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians. Her Dad named her SilentRain because he said that she was a Silent blessing, and Rain because she brought growth and new life to their family.
“Growing up on the reservation I have participated in the traditional dances and games ever since I was little,” said SilentRain. “I have learned the values of love and respect whether that is for the elders that have taught me my culture or for my culture in general.”
Named a Max Preps All-American and an All-State player in California, SilentRain hit over .500 in her 2016 and 2017 high school seasons.
“So many people have positively influenced me as a student-athlete,” said SilentRain. “My past travel ball coach, Tom Dodd, and my current head coach, Heather Tarr, have transformed me into the player and person I am today.”
Former travel coach Tom Dodd said: “Life and sports are hard for young players these days, and they have to learn to cope, adjust, and overcome whatever it is that comes between them and their goals. I believe SilentRain Espinoza has done just that. ‘Si’ has faced a considerable amount of adversity in her young career so far, and in spite of it all, she has overachieved and excelled, both on the field and off.”
“People on the outside just look at the box score and see ‘Si’ is doing well. Most people have no idea of what it takes to succeed at that level, let alone, what SilentRain Espinoza has had to overcome to earn her success. Obviously, she has overcome a tremendous amount of adversity to get to where she is, and where she is at is an amazing place to be for a second year player on one of the nation’s best NCAA Division I softball teams. If you add to this the pressure of school, pleasing her parents, and maintaining good grades, she has proven herself to be not only a very skilled and capable softball player from years of hard work and preparation, but more importantly, an extremely tough, strong, resilient, and determined human being,” added Coach Tom.
“SilentRain is developing her leadership skills in her second year in our program,” said Heather Tarr, head softball coach, University of Washington Huskies. “She understands what it takes to be successful at this level, both academically and athletically. Her consistently strong work and training ethic on the field are done with a high level of attention to detail. Similarly, she takes this approach in her academics.”
SilentRain’s mother Mackenzie Espinoza said: “SilentRain has always been such a ‘old soul,’ as her Great Grandmother Francis Espinoza from the Mesa Grande Tribe would say. She has always had her own motivation to practice and learn as much as she could from every coach and team that she played for. She missed many events because she had tryouts, games, or practices, and never complained. She faced many difficulties along the way especially recently losing her biggest fan and supporter which was my Dad, her grandfather Robert Cole from the Penobscot tribe. He was her biggest supporter and took her to almost every practice, lesson, and rarely missed a game. That was a devastating loss to her but she pushed on when starting this season.”
“SilentRain has also overcome going to tryouts and not making the team, and playing on teams where she has had to fight for playing time. I believe that the game of softball is in her blood and a passion that she lives for. When she was a freshman in high school she was told to make a list of her top 20 schools that she wanted to play for and to start emailing them, and the University of Washington was her #1 school. UW was her dream school and when she got offers from other schools all she could do was think about going to Washington. So she did everything she needed to do in the classroom and on the field with extra conditioning and lessons everyday until she went to their softball camp. I can’t even imagine how she felt every time the coaches were watching her. When she got that offer from them that was it, and her dreams and hard work had come true. And now she is living her best life as a University of Washington softball player representing both the Penobscot and Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians. SilentRain is living proof that no dream is too big with hard work and perseverance,” added mom Mackenzie.
“I don’t think it is a coincidence that I am so passionate about softball,” said SilentRain. “My great-grandfather, Daniel Espinoza, was a men’s fast-pitch pitcher who was known by many people as being one best pitchers to come from my reservation. I wish I could have met my great-grandfather before he passed away so he could have seen how his passion for the game is continuing on through me. The softball field on my reservation is actually named after him and is where I have grown up playing my entire life.”
“My advice to be a successful student-athlete is to enjoy and cherish every second of it,” said SilentRain. “There are definitely moments where you’re going to wish you were just a student but being part of a team and getting to play and compete alongside your friends is an opportunity that should not be taken for granted.”
Click on here for Washington Huskies softball schedule and follow SilentRain’s statistics: https://gohuskies.com/sports/softball/schedule/2020
https://gohuskies.com/sports/softball/stats
Photo Credit: Washington Athletics
for all are people look at what she has done it can be all of you yes to over come to be benched because who you are is a big factor and some dont want you to succeed seen it all for it where they come from that brings there haltered too are tribal people living where there 13 reservation in north county and east county where she is from has a parent and grand parent seen it dealt with it and never played into it for they will learn from it and proceed on with there sports no matter what it is I has a distant family member proud of her way of dealing with the others of not to want her to shine God Bless you Silent rain keep playing has long has you can with out looking back