Between long practices for sports and the increasing amount of
homework as children get older it can be a challenge to find a
balance for kids today. Luckily, for 12-year-old Brenna O’Neill,
she has her traveling softball team to help her with her
homework.
Between long practices for sports and the increasing amount of homework as children get older it can be a challenge to find a balance for kids today. Luckily, for 12-year-old Brenna O’Neill, she has her traveling softball team to help her with her homework.
O’Neill is one of many youngsters who have become part of a private association called GPA Sports Incorporated. It is a group that provides tutoring to any student who wishes to play sports as well as succeed academically. A 2.0 grade point average is required to be on the team, and if it is not met, tutoring is provided though the association to make sure the child is meeting his or her scholastic requirements as well as remaining eligible to play.
As a student at Brownell Academy Middle School, her mother Kelly was glad Brenna chose the GPA team over other traveling teams.
“You can’t get any better. The learning aspect of it is really great,” Kelly said. “I think softball has really enriched her life as far as making friends as well. She was a little worried about attending middle school alone, but she has met so many girls through the team that some of that fear went away.”
She also plays for Gilroy’s little league team, the Sunbirds, and is also part of their All-Star team. Between both teams she practices five days a week, averaging about 17 hours each week.
“I like that I get to play as much as I do,” she said smiling. “I’ve been playing for eight years and I really like it. I’ve thought about quitting. I took a season off and came back this season. I’m glad that I did because I love to play.”
She plays first base, shortstop, and catcher for the GPA sports team, Gilroy Stanford Cardinals, and this year had the opportunity to be co-captain.
“My favorite position is defiantly shortstop,” she said.
“She is a really strong player,” her mom said. “We really hope she keeps it up. Catchers are always needed on college teams.”
Scholarships are going to be given out to girls soon, a privilege her mother hopes she will achieve.
GPA Sports has also given O’Neill the opportunity to travel. A pastime she enjoys as much as playing softball. Her team has traveled to Illinois where they placed in the top five and has also gone to Las Vegas and Manteca for the Northern California Championships.
“We have a lot of fun, but we stay pretty focused,” she said.
“We also have great coaches,” she said referring to Coach Jene Carlyle, or “Pops, as the girls call him.
With her dreams of someday going to college and becoming a lawyer, she is glad to be a part of GPA Sports Incorporated, which allows her to play ball.
“We are very proud of her and how she has incorporated softball into her life along with her school work,” her mother said. “I don’t think I tell her enough, but we are very proud of her.”
And it’s not just about winning.
“Softball is the best sport you can do,” O’Neill said, “As long as you try your hardest.”
