Senior Spotlight: Gabby Stewart and her never-ceasing, prove-it mentality
By Bud Denega
ADA — Gabby Stewart possesses something that she's utilized from time to time in her softball career. Whether it was growing up alongside two brothers who where more naturally gifted than her or whether it was during those formative softball years or whether it was during an Ohio Northern coaching change, Stewart has always felt the need to prove herself.
And this notion has benefited Stewart greatly. She's littered all over the ONU record books and an unquestioned leader in the dugout.
"Gabby has played a major role in the ONU softball program over the last four years," ONU head coach Jackie Price said. "She is an athlete who leads by example and is extremely dependable. She will go out and get the job done and face any challenge head on."
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Stewart is the oldest sister to two brothers. The three played numerous sports growing up and competed in countless activities, but Gabby wasn't the competitive type — at least not at first.
"My brothers, they were naturally athletic, and I really had to work to get to where I'm at," Stewart said. "It was a lot of dedication, and I always wanted to push myself to be as good as they were. I put much more time in and got to the point where I did want to be competitive with them."
That competitive spirit spilled out into the softball diamond. Gabby Stewart began her career on a local rec league team before one of her teammate's parent encouraged her to play on a select team.
Stewart's admiration of softball wasn't a love-at-first-sight phenomenon. She enjoyed playing and was successful at the sport, but wasn't sold on making it her sole endeavor.
"It took some encouragement," Stewart said.
Stewart and her family often talk about the time when softball became more than just a fun activity. They remember a series of games where Stewart blossomed and stood out from the rest.
After not seeing the field all that often prior to a tournament, Stewart knew she had to take advantage of the few opportunities she was given. She was inserted into the game, ripped double after double after double en route to leading her team to a second-place finish.
"After that I was like, 'Well, I'm going to have to prove to myself and to everybody that I'm going to do this,'" Stewart said.
That prove-it mentality would pop back up again to benefit Stewart at the next level.
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Stewart dedicated herself to softball throughout high school. She excelled to a point that competing collegiately became not only a realistic option but a likely one.
Stewart had Division I interest and everything on down. She ideally wanted to attend a school in a big metropolitan area, and that made Ohio Northern less than desirable.
But upon taking a visit, talking with the coaches, meeting the team, Stewart's tone and attitude toward Ada changed completely.
"I went to their winter camp, and I loved it," Stewart said. "I had an overnight with all the girls, and I loved all the girls on the softball team, and after that I knew it was over. I wanted to be there."
Stewart developed strong relationships with the team but also the coaching staff. However, that coaching staff departed before the beginning of Stewart's freshman season.
Thus, Stewart felt the need to prove herself once again.
"When I went into tryouts my freshman fall season, I thought to myself, 'I just have to go out and do what I do,'" Stewart said. "I needed to prove that I was recruited for a reason. I needed to prove that I deserved to be here."
Stewart did that and more from the outset. As a freshman, she batted .350 with four home runs, seven doubles and 29 RBIs. Sophomore season, and it's a similar story, .371 batting average, three homers, 16 doubles and 38 RBIs. Junior year sounds quite redundant, .393 batting average, four dingers, 10 doubles and 36 RBIs.
"Gabby has been a force to be reckoned with throughout her career, both offensively and defensively," Price said. "She has been a major reason why ONU softball has been so successful the last few years."
Her cumulative numbers — which includes a .393 batting average, three homers, two doubles and nine RBIs in an abbreviated 2020 season — has put her in rarefied air. Stewart ranks seventh in school history with 14 home runs, seventh in RBIs with 112, eighth in doubles with 35, 10th in hits with 156 and 14th in average at .373.
"I don't think I realized I was going to be able to succeed at the level I did," Stewart said. "I've always been that person to push myself to be better at everything. I'm a little bit of a perfectionist, especially when it comes to softball. So while I'm not really surprised, I'm very happy with the outcome."
Stewart will graduate this spring with a degree in nursing. The NCAA granted all spring sport athletes with an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so Stewart will have a decision to make.
While there's uncertainty whether or not she'll play next spring, one thing that is certain — Gabby Stewart's career won't soon be forgotten.