UL senior outfielder Kayla Falterman is a living example of how valuable it is to be grounded in life.
For some, it’s treacherous when fears, doubts and curve balls arise.
Falterman, however, always seems prepared for any storm.
As a true freshman, Falterman hit .414 in 99 at-bats. Then over the next two seasons, her at-bats dropped and so did her batting averages.
The Woodlands, Texas, product never gave up. Former UL coach Gerry Glasco constantly praised her for her unselfish leadership and it showed in Falterman’s approach.
“I approach everything the same way, whether I’m starting or not,” she still maintains just weeks away from the end of her college career. “Every day, I just try to get 1% better, every day, and just do whatever I can to help the team win that day. That never changes.”
And when Glasco left the program for Texas Tech after last season and many players left the program, Falterman again never wavered.
“To be able to play here which has the best fans in the entire nation is an awesome experience,” she said. “Seriously, winning or losing, they have our backs and they’re going to be cheering loudly.
“I don’t take any second for granted and I’m going to miss it when it’s over.”
When new coach Alyson Habetz took over without a full read on Falterman’s status, the crafty outfielder was ready to show her what she could provide the team.
“What a baller, what a gamer,” Habetz said. “Her story has just been tremendous all season.”
Habetz admitted Falterman’s skill set was initially hid by the new coach’s expectations.
“I was really anticipating, she’s a senior, so I’m going to give her a moment that first weekend and maybe some more talented kids might (replace her),” Habetz said earlier this season. “But man, she’s just tremendous. Coaches talk about the ‘it’ factor and that’s it in bold and the font as big as you can make it, she’s got it. You can define ‘it’, but it’s something special.”
Becoming an everyday player, Falterman leads the team in hitting at .422 with 13 RBIs, 15 sacrifice bunts and five stolen bases.
“I’m trying to just take in every moment because it is my last time playing softball,” she said. “I’ve been playing since I was 6 years old, so I’m really trying to enjoy every moment with my teammates.
“I have the best teammates and we have the best coaching staff. I’m just really trying to enjoy it, have fun and I am. I think this is the most fun season I’ve ever had.”
Yes, it’s been a disappointing season for many for the Cajuns, who are 19-20 overall and 5-7 in Sun Belt play entering Friday’s 6 p.m. home series opener against James Madison (16-20, 3-9).
Falterman remains unflappable.
“The message all season long is that it’s a marathon, not a sprint,” she said. “We just need to get hot at the right time. She (Habetz) tells us all the time, ‘It’s not if but when.’ It’s going to happen for us.
“We just have to keep believing and keep grinding and keep pushing, because it’s not over. We still believe in each other.”
When a collision at first base resulted in Falterman missing nearly two weeks with a concussion, she adjusted quickly.
“Coach Aly told me to be able to control what I was able to control,” she said. “I did everything I could every day to be able to take that next step to get back on the field.”
For this team, the adversity has ranged farther than just the Sun Belt standings. On the way back from the Coastal Carolina trip, the team had airplane travel issues, forcing them to spend the night in the airport.
At Troy, the bus broke down shortly after the final game, getting them home at 4 a.m., some four hours later than originally planned.
And yet, Falterman and her teammates made the best of their airport sleepover.
“Yes, it was awful, but we had fun,” Falterman said. “We made the most of it. We’re all best friends. Coach Aly was up with us too. We were playing cards, she ordered us McDonald’s. We were playing games and we were saying, ‘Hey’ to everybody who walked into the airport at 4 in the morning. They were kind of looking at us like we were crazy.
“We made the most of it. We were stuck in that situation, so why choose to be negative or complain?”
And while many senior athletes are uncertain about their future, Falterman has long known she wants to be a teacher — and now a coach.
“When I was little, I’d ask for teaching supplies for Christmas,” she laughed. “I would play teacher and have my sisters be the students or my mom or dad or my stuffed animals.
“My aunt is a teacher (Lori Falterman) and she still is. My grandma (Kathy Womack) was a teacher for 32 years and she still subs in high school to this day and she’s almost 80 years old. They really inspired me.”
She even knows what she’s going to teach — American history.
“I actually really love government and I really love U.S. history,” she said. “I’m kind of a nerd in that way.”
