A season-ending injury of any kind, in any sport, can forever hinder an athlete’s success.
LSU softball redshirt sophomore infielder Allison Falcon is showing how watching from the dugout for almost an entire season provides ample motivation.
Falcon suffered an ankle injury a week into the 2011 season when she stepped on a loose ball at practice.
The injury forced Falcon to step back and evaluate her road to recovery.
“I had to talk through it with my family and my trainer, and we decided the year off to get better and get back to my full potential would be the best thing for my career at LSU,” Falcon said.
She said not being able to participate last season was hard, but she still found ways to help the team.
“I always sat up at the front of the dugout, and I was one of the loudest cheerers,” Falcon said. “I tried to pick signals or look at the pitchers and see their tendencies to see if they would give anything away to help the hitters.”
The Donaldsonville native used the time off wisely and returned this season hitting better than before her injury.
Falcon hit .160 her freshman year in 56 games but is batting at a team-leading .455 clip this season.
“It’s difficult to watch a team play and know that you can’t make a contribution,” said LSU coach Beth Torina. “But it gives them that desire and drive to understand each game is precious and how much it’s worth every time you step on the field.”
Falcon started in the nine-hole in the first two games this season and went 0-for-4 at the plate. After taking a game off, she returned to the lineup and reached base in four of her next five at-bats.
The Tigers went 2-3 over the five-game stretch, but Torina saw something special in Falcon and moved her to second in the batting order.
“I just thought she was one of our best hitters,” Torina said. “I was just trying to get her more at-bats.”
Falcon batted .500 over the next four games, all victories except for a 13-4 loss to No. 3 California.
“She’s really been a spark for the offense,” Torina said. “When the offense really struggled, she’s the one that stepped up and said, ‘We’re going to get this going,’ and has continued to go ever since.”
Falcon said moving up in the order helped her confidence, but she didn’t have any qualms about hitting at the bottom of the order.
“I like hitting in the nine-hole,” Falcon said. “If I get on base, there’s always some kind of fun that’s coming at the top of the lineup.”
Falcon said her boost in confidence coincided with her move up the lineup, but her success comes from her mental approach.
“Coach [Torina] always says hitting is contagious,” Falcon said. “If you think you’re going to get a hit, you’re 100 percent more likely to get a hit than if you’re going up there scared.”
Freshman first baseman Dylan Supak said Falcon is a team player and proved her worth on the field this season, especially when the game has been on the line.
“She brings a lot of energy to practice,” Supak said. “On the field, she just produces for us, especially in key situations.”
 
____
Contact Scott Branson at [email protected]