Lisa Fernandez

Lisa Fernandez- Softball Legend (http://www.realwomeninsports.com)

Softball Legend Lisa Fernandez is one of my heroes with our common interest and love in softball. Lisa Fernandez has accomplished many awards in her life and been recognized as one of the most remarkable athletes ever to come from the playgrounds and ball diamonds of Lakewood, California. She is a famous softball pitcher of Cuban/Puerto- Rican descent who created an Olympic record in softball with 25 strikeouts. She accomplished this Olympic record, while on the United States Women Olympic Softball Team.

Lisa pitching for the U.S. Olympic Softball Team (http://universalsports.nbcsports.com/articles/show/17715)

Fernandez has won multiple medals and championships during her time on the U.S. Women’s Olympic Softball Team. Some of her accomplishments include: • 1990 Gold Medal at the International Softball Federation World Championship • 1992 Gold Medal at the Pan American Games • 1991-93 Honda Award Winner in Softball (presented to nation’s best softball player) • 1993 Honda-Broderick Cup Winner(country’s most outstanding collegiate female athlete) • 1994 Gold Medals at the International Softball Federation and Pan Am Quilifer • 1996 Olympic Gold celebrated in Columbus, Georgia • 1998 Gold Medal at the Pan American Games • 2000 Olympic Gold Medal (completed a 25 strikeout record in women's softball) • 2002 Gold Medal at the International Softball Federation World Championships • 2003 Gold Medal at the Pan American Games • 2004 Olympic Gold medal in Athens, Greece • She also led UCLA to two NCAA Women’s College World Series Titles • 4-time NCFA First Team All- American • NCAA Top VI Award (presented to the top 6 senior student athletes in all divisions)

Lisa Fernandez and son Antonio. (http://i.usatoday.net/sports/_photos/2007/11/27/fernandezx.jpg)

Lisa Fernandez married her husband Michael Luijan in 2002. After three years of marriage, they had a son in 2005 named Antonio. Lisa Fernandez then spent a few years without softball to spend time with her son and help with his development. In January 2007 she was named the first assistant at UCLA and is still currently employed in that position. She is also a Color Analyst for ESPN, which includes doing play-by-play during softball games and other sporting events. She also serves as a member of the USOC Ethics committee and has also been playing for the PFX Tour since 2006. It has always been a goal of hers to have the best of both worlds with softball and her family.

Lisa Fernandez Getting Ready For Some Action!!! (http://sports.rightpundits.com/?pp_album=main&pp_cat=lisa-fernandez&pp_image=lisa_fernandez5.JPG)

Lisa Fernandez was born in New York City on February 22, 1972. Lisa’s father moved from Cuba to New York, which is where he met her mother. Lisa’s mother moved from Puerto Rico to New York. Lisa’s father played baseball in Cuba while her mother played stick ball, which is a form of ghetto baseball played with a broom stick and a rubber ball. Lisa began playing softball in 1979 at the age of 8, but when she reached 12 years old she played in a local children’s league. When she tried out for pitcher, her coach told her that she wouldn’t make it because she wasn’t the right size or build. Lisa and her family moved to Lakewood, California in 1986 where she attended St. Joseph High School. She joined the school’s softball team, and they led the school to the CIF Championship. After graduating high school, she was accepted to the University of California in Los Angeles, where she played softball and earned a degree in psychology. In 1994, she led her team to the Women’s College World Series Championship. Afterwards, she was drafted by the representatives of the U.S Women’s Olympic Softball team. Lisa is still playing on the Olympic Team this year except that she didn’t make the team’s final 15 player roster, she is a replacement player instead.

Lisa Pitching her Best!!! (http://sports.rightpundits.com/?pp_album=main&pp_cat=lisa-fernandez&pp_image=lisa_fernandez5.JPG)

Lisa Fernandez is a hero to me because she was determined to see softball made into a great and world-renowned sport for young girls and older ladies. Lisa Fernandez has helped make women and little girls be able to go around the world and be able to win championships and gold medals in the sport of softball and also receive scholarships to assist young ladies in furthering their career while playing a sport they love. Women deserve as much playing time as men do, and Lisa Fernandez has been able to let us be able to play softball just like men are able to play baseball. She has accomplished so much in her life, I want to be just like her and get out on a softball field when I get older and put on a U.S.A Women’s Softball Uniform and go travel around the world and meet new people and discover new things playing a game I love. If it wasn’t for Lisa Fernandez these dreams would never become a reality to any young lady. Fernandez is not just a good pitcher, but a great role model all around. She will always be a softball legend, one of the greatest softball players, and my hero.