Katharina Buczek
So, she never let the roadblocks derail her goal of getting better.
Olivia and her father just kept working on her pitching together, and by the age of eight, she was able to start her first-ever game on the mound.
“The boys were giddy with excitement knowing they were facing a girl. I struck out the side in the first inning,” she recalled.
Despite her apparent skills, though, Olivia was still constantly told that the game would “leave her behind.”
And as she progressed to higher skill levels and competitive circuits, she would even be asked to consider playing softball instead.
According to Olivia, though, changing her passion just because of a glass ceiling was never in the cards.
“Every time I progress to the next level, more and more people would ask me about switching to softball. There’s no shade towards softball, but it’s just that I have never played softball before,” she said in an interview with NPR.
And rather than letting those statements of doubt about a possible career in baseball discourage her, Olivia just used the naysayers to fuel her competitive fire.
“I just kept playing and working harder,” the teen said.
Now, Olivia’s commitment and determination are finally paying off. Not only was she accepted into her “favorite Ivy League school,” but she will also join 30 other Brown baseball players on the Spring 2023 roster. The season is set to open on February 24 with a four-game series against Georgia State.
And in the meantime, Olivia revealed she would be focusing on her studies and her training while also trying to enjoy her college experience– without stressing too much about her reputation as a trailblazer in the history of baseball.
