Go Jaspers!!!
More than a year after verbally committing to play Division I softball at Manhattan College, Wilbraham & Monson Academy's Emma Kindblom '17 made it official, signing her National Letter of Intent Monday afternoon during a ceremony at the Athletic Center.
"It was great to have all my friends and family there, and all the people who supported me throughout the journey," Emma said.
The journey began to get serious in eighth grade, and included trips to nearly 30 colleges. Emma kept getting good vibes from the Manhattan coaching staff and the school. She verbally committed in October of 2015, and she earned a partial scholarship to attend the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference school.
"I visited many times," said Emma, who plans to major in exercise science. "On one of my visits I sat in on classes and I really enjoyed the small classroom sizes. It was a lot like WMA, and honestly, that was a big selling point for me. The team has great chemistry and the coaches are very knowledgeable and very passionate about what they do. I gravitated toward that school because of their good softball and good academics."
Emma has been passionate about WMA as long as she can remember. She grew up wanting to attend and play sports for the Academy, which largely explains the pride she carries on and off the field.
"I grew up here," she explained. "I remember being in elementary school, coming home to campus, and going to dinner and interacting with kids how I interact with little kids now – interacting with people who were like family to me. I grew up wanting to go to school here and I was grateful my parents worked here so I was capable of going here.
"Softball is my passion so being able to play on WMA Softball – this will be my seventh year – is the most amazing feeling, to say I put almost half my life into the school and athletic aspects on WMA."
A starter since sixth grade, Emma will graduate regarded as the best player in the program's history. During the last four seasons, she's batted above .500, with more than 100 hits and 100 runs scored. She's been named to the Western New England All-League team four times, and has helped the Titans reach the tournament the last three years, including a title in 2016.
"Everything has progressed since sixth grade," Emma said. "My dad (Coach Erik Kindblom) brought in recruits. His first recruits were Hannah Clewes '15 and I, and he continued to build a basis of people who play softball, and that bettered our program. I'm happy about where we started in sixth grade to where we are now."
Along with her skill level, Emma's leadership has also progressed to an impressive level.
"Early on, her best quality was leading by example," Coach Kindblom said. "She is a kid who enjoys the practices just as much as the game. She loves the conditioning part of practice as much as the tactical team strategy and individual skills. To have someone lead by example in that way, other people naturally follow her. And as she's gotten to be an older athlete, her junior year into her senior year, you saw her reach out to younger players and take them under her wing, whether it was trying to get them to be more competitive in the games, or her just seeing if they need an arm around their shoulder for support in whatever way.
"She's a natural leader by example, but it's been nice to see her develop into a leader of being a supportive member of our team who somehow also gets out a little more out of her teammates in competitive situations."