Tuesday was bittersweet for three Gilroy softball players who signed their letters of intent to play in college.
Catcher Amber Gamboa and infielders Kaylana Mah and Celeste Mendoza signed their letters as they tried to hold back tears in a ceremony at the school’s library.
“I’m very, very proud of these three girls,” Athletic Director and softball coach Julie Berggren said. “Gilroy High School has an awesome softball tradition and they are a definite example of excellence coming out. We are just so excited that they are getting this opportunity to continue their educations and continue their career of playing softball.”
Gamboa will move nearly 1,700 miles to attend the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D. She said she knows it will be much different than Gilroy but that she is ready for the change.
“When I visited, the lowest it was outside about 14 degrees,” Gamboa said. “It was cold but without the wind it’s not that cold. It’s going to be tough leaving my parents, family, friends. I’ve been here for four years, it’s going to be tough but I think it’ll be fine.”
Mah and Mendoza, on the other hand, are staying in state. Mah will attend Simpson University in Redding while Mendoza has committed to William Jessup University just outside Sacramento.
“I really just didn’t want to go very far because I’m so close to my mom,” Mendoza said. “It’s just a great school. I’m a Christian and it’s a Christian school so it gives me a really good balance between religion and softball.”
Mah and Mendoze will meet each other on the diamond next season, facing off as California Pacific Conference rivals. “It’s going to be weird,” Mah said. “I’ve played with her since I was 8-years-old. It’s going to be different seeing her on a different team and it’s just crazy that were going to be playing each other.”
