Jennie Finch

 "A true champion is someone who wants to make a difference, who never gives up, and who gives everything she has no matter what the circumstances are. A true champion works hard and never loses sight of her dreams". Jennie Finch is the former pitcher for the USA team in the Olympics, and led team USA to many victories in history of softball, and now lives her life as a devoted wife and mother of 3 and travels the country inspiring many lives of young girls.

As one of the most awarded softball players of all time Jennie was a gold and silver medalist and the former starting pitcher for team USA in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. Leader of the team, Jennie lead team USA to many victories in history of softball being an event in the games. Finch lived in Los Angeles California, attended U of A, and competed in the Olympics in Beijing and Athens. Not only once but twice Finch competed in and placed in two Olympics in 2004 and 2008. Jennie Finch is confident, because she was told that she would never go anywhere in the sport; however she still tried and gave it all she had for her love in the sport and became one of the greatest players of all times. Besides confidence Finch's moral strength is remarkable, she stayed true to her goals, followed them, and really pushed through herself despite people telling her that she would never become anything. Jennie never let anyone else define herself worth and became one of the best players to ever walk on the field. Not only was she an Olympian; Jennie was and continues to be a leader who inspires many lives every day due to her confidence, selflessness and moral strength even with constant setbacks she has overcome in her life and on her road to success. 

Jennie Finch is a hero because she is extremely confident. At a young age Finch was told that she would never go anywhere in softball, she was told that she should just quit but she didn't. Jennie stayed confident and worked even harder. Most of Jennie's confidence came from her father Doug Finch: "He knew that I could be a champion" (Throw like a girl). There has been many times in Finch's life where she has been shot down and told that she couldn't and wouldn't be anything in her life. Also that she should just quit, leave and never came back. Confidence has helped Jennie overcome everything against her and become one of the "hall of famers". Jennie Finch is confident, because despite being told that she would never go anywhere in the sport, she still tried for her love in the sport and became one of the greatest players of all time. Despite numerous times of being shot down by her "supporters", Finch still made it to become one of the most successful softball players to ever live. Finch never let anyone else define her ability to play and she has the stats and record to prove it: "In the NCAA regional tournament, she was the most valuable player (MVP) in each of her first two seasons, giving up only 3 hits over six games. At the end of her sophomore season, she was voted first-team all-American and all-Pac-10 Conference" (Jennie Finch: Great Athletes). When Finch was young she once told herself to never let anyone else define her self worth, because if she did she would go nowhere in life. She only let herself define her self worth and then went on in life to win some of the most important awards and games there are to softball. Finch almost let one man tell her that she would go nowhere in the sport. Instead she took his false criticism and turned it into a challenge and was motivated and determined to prove him and everyone else who told her she would go nowhere wrong. Confidence makes Jennie Finch a hero, because she is living proof that without confidence towards your goals you will never go anywhere. Finch also taught many young girls that if you let someone else define yourself worth you will never go anywhere in life, also to always work with integrity and hard work or just never work at all.

Jennie Finch is a hero, because she is morally strong. When Jennie Finch was a young girl, her love for the game was still developing. However, her love for the game was almost crushed by one man saying she will never be a championship pitcher, and to quit and stop trying while she was ahead: "That could have been the end of my story right there. It would make for a very short book--- a pamphlet really--- titled Not a Champion by Jennie Finch. That's what would happen if I let someone else define me. If I accepted someone else's limits on myself. If I let another person tell me who I was, rather than listen to my own dreams. Instead, I chose to believe in myself." (Throw like a girl: Dream and Believe). Finch decided (even at such a young age) that she would never let anyone else define herself worth, because if she did she would never go anywhere in life. So she then told herself she would only go as far in life as she believed she would. Taking that one statement, "she will never be a champion pitcher, just quit while you're ahead", Finch made that her drive/motivation to become a champion pitcher and prove everyone that told her she wouldn't be anything: wrong. Knowing that she was a large influence on many young girls' lives, Jennie also knew that many people all over the country, even the world were watching her and paying attention to all the little things she did. Many offers came up throughout her road to success to do many things Finch did not believe was appropriate for herself or other people to view, so she stuck to what she believed in: "She said that these offers never tempted her, partly because of her strong religious beliefs and partly because she felt that she would be letting teammates and fans down. 'I had a lot more to lose than to gain,' she stated. 'I'm a role model for lots of young girls'" (Jennie Finch: Now and Today). Finch was offered with many offers to be in magazines posing inappropriately that would offer her a large sum of money. Those offers were declined due to Finch knowing she was an influence on young girls' lives, also because she did not believe that women should pose that way on camera. Jennie stuck to her religious beliefs and her integrity by turning away many photo shoot offers because not only did she not approve of posing that way; she was not comfortable with it. Jennie once said "I don't care about the money really, if I don't feel comfortable or satisfied with something why would I do it". Aware of the offers she would be offered on her road to success, Jennie decided that she would stick to her motto, "I will only go as far as I believe I will go". She turned down majority of the offers she would get that would boost her popularity, not only because she didn't approve of them; she didn't want to let anyone down especially herself. Also because she did not want those photos/articles to be the reason her fame would be boosted, Jennie wanted her ability to be the reason why. 

One of the many qualities that makes Finch a hero is her selflessness. Throughout her whole life Finch has been known to always put others first no matter what the situation is, she loved to inspire others in everything that she did: "Finch never embarrassed herself or her teammates in the gathering pre-Olympic excitement. For example, she repeatedly turned down lucrative magazine offers to pose for photographs that were blatantly sexual in tone. (Jennie Finch: Olympic Status). Jennie always thought before her actions or things she would say. Finch's career was one of the most important things to her; however, it was not the most important thing to her. Family and friends the most important things to Jennie, her team fell into both of those categories. Not only selfless out on the field, but at home as well. Following her first time competing in the Olympics in 2004, Finch decided she wanted to start a family. After Finch started her family, she started to get back in shape to compete yet again in the 2008 Olympics at the same time still being a mother and wife: "On May 4, 2006 Jennie and her husband had their first child, a boy they named Ace. Working hard to get back into shape, she played first base at the softball World Cup in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and International Softball Federation World Championships in China" (Jennie Finch: Great Athletes). By working to get back into shape after her first son was born to compete in the 2008 Olympics, shows that Finch was selfless because not only was she working hard as a mother for her family, but she was working hard on the field to help support her team on and off the field. Majority of days following after the Finch family was started, Jennie spent most of her days training to get back into shape to help bring her team to gold yet again in the approaching Olympics. However, still taking breaks for her family and to raise her newborn son, Ace.  Finch has proved on numerous occasions that she is selfless, but the times that stood out most was when she put her family before her career, and her career before everything else. Jennie Finch has always worked hard to support everyone, but her family and teammates come before everyone else in her playbook.

Jennie Finch is more than just an Olympic softball player; she is a leader who inspires many lives every day due to her confidence, selflessness and moral strength despite all the setbacks she has overcame in her life and on her road to success. Finch is a hero because she never let anyone define herself worth and took every attempt to shoot her down, and turned it into motivation to succeed and prove everyone who told her she would never become anything: wrong. Also because she never let anyone or anything affect her beliefs and always stayed true to her beliefs even with many attempts that were offered going against them. A hero to not only me, but many girls worldwide. Finch is an inspiration to so many people because she is one of the most successful female Olympians of all time, especially because as a young girl no one thought she would go anywhere in the sport. Finch also taught many girls to stay confident, stay true to your beliefs and only let you define yourself worth, "it is YOUR self worth, only let you define yours. Let other people define their own". "You will only go as far as you believe you will go" -Jennie Finch, a statement inspiring many people every day. Jennie Finch is my hero because she was told at such a young age she would never become anything, that she should just quit right then. Negative comments never stopped Finch; she took the negativity and made it her reason to succeed. There are many reasons that could make any person my hero, Jennie Finch is mine because she started with ability not so developed but with her love and passion to win, she became one of the best players to ever live. Finch is my inspiration because she taught me that as long as you love it, just do it; nothing anyone says should ever be the reason to quit and my mind will be the only reason I won't succeed. Not only to me, but to many girls worldwide this woman has inspired them to just be themselves and do what they love. Doing what you love and being happy is the most successful thing you can do, Jennie Finch taught me this and for that she will always be my one and only hero.

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Finch, Jennie, and Ann Killion. Throw like a Girl: How to Dream Big and Believe in Yourself.

Chicago, IL: