Photo Credit: OU Athletics

Who Am I? by Alex Storako

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Alex Storako was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 Women’s Professional Fastpitch Draft on Monday, April 17 by the OKC Spark. While she is dominating on the field with Oklahoma in her final collegiate season, she shares how that is only a part of who she is.

Who Am I? by Alex Storako

I am a 5-foot, 11-inch right-handed softball player. I am a dog lover. I am a riseball pitcher. I am a girl who loves meeting new people. I have a couple new pitches. I love to travel and explore new places. My change up is 12-6 spin. I love to cook and spend time with my friends. I love to win. 

All of these things make me who I am right? These are some of my definitions as to who Alex Storako is right? Wrong. 

Softball is something that I do. Not who I am. 

It took me a long time to understand this. In fact, I’m still learning to separate myself from my sport. It’s something that is so hard to do no matter your position, your level of play or who you play for. 

Softball is a sport that I fell in love with as a young kid and it put a smile on my face for so long. So why did I have times when I felt that it was a chore or a job? What’s wrong with me if I feel as though I fell out of love with this sport? Who am I if I didn’t win today? 

I went to a place in my own head that the pressure felt like I was drowning. I have always had high expectations for myself. My entire career and growing up, I was proving people wrong. It’s what I did. I wasn’t supposed to be here. Who am I to be playing at this level? Exceeding the expectations of everyone…including myself at times. 

I was drowning. I was the player that had to have the answers. Why didn’t we win? Why aren’t you the same? Alex you seem so disconnected. What’s wrong? Who are you anymore? 

Who cares that you love dogs or like to take long drives? Softball is everything. Softball is who you are. Winning makes you a good person and all these accolades mean you are something more. 

Is that true? Did I live a life so wrapped up in a crazy sport that a yellow ball in the strike zone or hit 200 feet off of me defined me? Do people not care about what makes me smile? What if I love to take long walks or play my with dog? 

Why am I dreading practice? Why am I doing everything to sink into the background? All these years and I’m questioning if I want to quit? That’s unlike me. Who have I become? I’m letting it define me…

I lost today. Even worse, I gave up a run, maybe two. How dare I? Nobody could look me in the eye. As a human, it’s demoralizing. It makes it clear I’m not good enough to be spoken to. I lost. I didn’t try my best. What more could I be doing? Where can I find the answers? Why aren’t they trying to help me fix what I could be doing wrong? I feel stranded. I feel deserted. Am I useless because I don’t win all the time? 

Softball is what I do. Not who I am. 

I’m not defined by how many batters I can strike out. I’m not defined by my errors. I’m not defined by my riseball spin rate. I’m not defined by my win-loss record. I’m more than that. 

I’m more than a pitcher and player. I’m human. 

I love to dress up. I love to read books. My camera roll is filled with pictures of the sunset and my friends all smiling. I enjoy a cookies and cream ice cream cone. I love to travel. I miss my puppy. I love to make jokes and laugh. I also make mistakes. I learn from them. I grow. 

That’s who I am. 

My sport does not define me. Don’t let people around you define you from your performance. It’s toxic and draining. Softball is something you fell in love with. It’s what you do. 

So ask yourself who am I? Without the glove…without the bat…

Who are you when the scoreboard turns off? 

Who are you when the lights go out? 

By,
Alex Storako

University of Oklahoma ’24
OU Softball #8

University of Michigan ’22
Michigan Softball Alum