Why now was the right time for softball legend Monica Abbott to retire, share her story
Monica Abbott, one of the greatest players in the history of softball, has traveled to events for the last 10 years to tell her story.
When she saw faces light up, she assumed it was because they were fans from her time as a star pitcher with Tennessee softball or Team USA. But eventually, Abbott realized it was her story – not just the fact that she could throw 75 mph – and the challenges she overcame that resonated with people.
It was what led Abbott to start work on an autobiography called "Rise & Shine: The Monica Abbott Story," which was published this year.
"I started to realize, like, 'Wow, I have a story that people want to listen to. People want to hear it,' " Abbott told Knox News. "So it was only natural to get it down on paper so that people could read it."
TENNESSEE PITCHERS: Why this Tennessee softball pitching staff could be the key to the Lady Vols' return to greatness
1K WINS FOR WEEKLY: Tennessee softball coach Karen Weekly joins Pat Summitt in 1,000-win club
ROGERS DRAFTED: Tennessee softball ace Ashley Rogers drafted to Women's Professional Fastpitch League
The book takes readers through Abbott's career, from when she first started playing to her illustrious career at Tennessee and beyond at the professional level.
The last chapter of "Rise & Shine" dives into the impact Abbott made as one of the first prominent softball players in the beginning of what she called "the media era" for women's sports.
"(It's about) how I've been able to reach many young women that are now in their careers and what it means to us," Abbott said. "What it means to us ladies to have someone they can see, have someone visible that they can see that is doing it. If they can see it, then they can do it – and if they can do it, then they can do it better."
Abbott didn't have softball players like herself to look up to when she was young. Softball wasn't on TV, and players weren't publicized in the media.
"That's what's so cool, is that now, with just exposure, visibility, more people at a young age are seeing others do it," Abbott said. "I've been fortunate enough that a lot of young people have seen me play. A lot of young people have modeled themselves after me or take on different characteristics that I have, because they were inspired by either my play, or something I said or did."
Why Monica Abbott decided it was right time to retire
Abbott is one of the handful of players whose careers lasted into her late 30s. Her career has spanned 20 years, and she could have kept playing if she desired.
But in February, the 37-year-old Abbott announced she was retiring.
"I started to realize, 'Hey, I think that I can have a better impact with these young women in the game off the field,' " Abbott said. "It's fun to be on the field every day ... But I think it's time to pass the torch, so that I could go continue to create that impact, to create that growth in other ways for them post-softball."
Abbott's professional career – both in the now-defunct National Pro Fastpitch league and Japan Softball League – spanned four Olympic cycles. But Abbott only got to play in the 2008 and 2020 Olympic Games, because softball isn't guaranteed to be in every Olympics.
Abbott is in a unique position to impact the future of the game because of her success – it's her goal to continue growing the game, at home and abroad.
"To take softball out of the Olympic Games for two cycles like that, I think they stifled seeing some of the best softball players in the world on a world stage," Abbott said. "I think they stifled the growth of the sport in many countries, because they cut funding when softball was voted out, and they limited opportunities for young women."
Abbott's impact on Tennessee, the game overall
It's still strange for Abbott to put her impact on the game into words.
"I was the tipping point, so to speak," Abbott said. "I feel like that's weird to say about yourself. But in some ways, I was the tipping point for the sport."
While at Tennessee from 2004-07, the imposing 6-foot-3 Abbott established program records in victories (189), strikeouts (2,440), shutouts (112), appearances (253) and innings pitched (1,448). She threw 23 no hitters, including six perfect games, while in college. She was the first All-American in school history and was an All-Women's College World Series Team selection three times.
Abbott has records set, three consecutive WCWS appearances and a runner-up finish in 2007 to look back on from her Tennessee career. But she's proudest of the growth of the program since she left.
After Abbott graduated, Tennessee broke ground on Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. More and more college softball games started to be televised and SEC softball began growing into the powerhouse league it is today.
"That's been really cool for me, because I'm passionate about softball, and I'm passionate about being able to have an impact on the game and create opportunities for other people," Abbott said. "I think that really is one of the proudest moment for me, to see where they've been able to take that growth from me being here, from my college days."
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why the time was right for softball legend Monica Abbott to retire
