From “Air” Aliyah Andrews to Britni Sneed, LSU Softball has had its fair share of iconic players throughout the years. While this season’s roster is stacked with talent, there is one player who has made her name known both in and out of Tiger Park. That player is redshirt sophomore Taylor Pleasants, and she is now known as a member of the 2022 USA Women’s National Team.
The Texas native quickly found her spot on LSU’s lineup last season as a freshman. Pleasants was the Tigers’ starting shortstop for all 57 games of the 2020-2021 season and hit an incredible 0.316 with 56 hits, 12 doubles, 49 RBIs and a staggering 13 home runs as the cleanup hitter. Deemed the SEC Newcomer of the Year after that season, Pleasants was chosen to try out for the Women’s National Team, the only Tiger to do so.
With such notable stats, many would be surprised that going into the tryouts for the National Team, Pleasants was unfortunately consumed with doubts. The night before the tryouts were scheduled to begin, the humble player was unsure that her skills matched those of her counterparts.
“I was going to sleep and I just started thinking about all the people that I’d be competing against,” Pleasants explained. “We hadn’t even touched the field yet, and I was laying down and I was just like ‘Wow, I’m really here with all of these incredible athletes, which is a dream come true.’ But then I started doubting the fact that I was even there.”
Her deeply rooted faith as well as the people she leans on most for comfort and support are what pulled Pleasants out of this rut of doubt.
“I texted a couple of my friends and they really helped me walk through this,” she explained. “And that night I gained that confidence back and was thinking, ‘maybe being here was my purpose.’ We always talk about what’s our why, and my ‘why’ is to play for God and to use my platform to make Him known. I decided then that I was going to use my time here to do exactly that.”
Pleasants’ faith has a prodigious influence on the way she chooses to lead her life both on and off the field. Her faith holds her accountable, making her extremely aware of the choices she makes and the way she interacts with those around her.
“I think the way that your faith is incorporated into your life has a lot to do with how other people see you,” Pleasants said. “So, if I’m going to walk around campus, I’m going to walk around as if God was there. I’m going to portray myself as someone that Jesus would want to be known or associated with. I want to be Christian like, and I strive to be that way everyday. Of course, we all fall short, but I am surrounded by a lot of really good people that always help me make that happen.”
Many of these people are actually her current teammates. Pleasants says that being alongside a few of her teammates who are also in constant pursuit of their personal faith has created a kind of culture off of the field that, to her, is beautifully encouraging and supportive.
“A few of my teammates have really been the reason why my faith has blossomed like it has,” Pleasants explained. “I really was able to go to some of these girls and just talk to them, and that was very comforting. Shelbi Sunseri helped me a lot as well with learning the word and just how to really balance things like time management when incorporating your faith into your daily schedule. I think that having a community to go to is just really helpful, and a lot of people have been impacted by it as well.”
Her personal faith, relationships with her teammates and Head Coach Beth Torina’s focus on boosting the confidence of each player has proven to be fundamental building blocks of Pleasants’ understanding of what confidence truly is, and how she can portray confidence both on and off of the field.
Torina frequently invites Brian Cain, a best selling author, to Tiger Park to speak with her players. Cain discusses with the team a lot about what confidence truly looks like, and how each player should be working towards strengthening their mental performance.
“Cain talks a lot about not feeling confident, but acting confident,” Pleasants explained. “So for example, when I walk out on the field and I don’t feel very confident but still I act as if I am, I will ultimately end up feeling more confident. It is really all about not having the choice of acting unconfident. Brian is always talking about having strong body language and positive words for yourself, which ultimately work to create that confidence. We really try to use his advice for pretty much everything we do here.”
Cain’s advice to the LSU softball team has carried over onto the field in practice time. With internal confidence comes the confidence to be a leader, which is exactly what Torina is seeing now. Freshmen on the roster have stepped up and taken charge in practice, a trait that both Torina and Pleasants are super excited for fans to see come game time. Pleasants says that her main advice to her teammates growing into a leader is to be confident in who they are as individuals.
“Stay true to yourself,” she said. “Know what you’re good at and know where you can help people rather than just trying to be a whole bunch of different things at one time.”
With her name attached to so many accomplishments, one can assume that the pressure may get to Pleasants once the season truly begins. This isn’t a concern for Pleasants though.
“There’s always pressure,” Pleasants admitted. “But I am going to trust my teammates and everything that they do. I’m going to rely on them and focus on them rather than myself.”
Torina also has no doubt in Pleasants’ capabilities, noting that the stellar shortstop can “control any situation on the field.”
One thing Pleasants made sure to acknowledge in regard to this season’s team is the undeniable chemistry that every player has had a role in creating. Fans can look forward to seeing how this bond affects their game play this weekend, as the team is gearing up for the Tiger Classic, a tournament that will begin Friday, Feb. 9. The first game versus the South Alabama Jaguars begins at 3 p.m.
