Jennie Finch hoping to inspire athletes with Semoball Awards keynote speech

After a softball career that featured an NCAA championship, an Olympic gold medal, time as a professional athlete, international fame and endorsement deals, Jennie Finch could spend her post-playing days just about any way she chooses.

The 34-year-old hosts camps across the country and also spends time speaking to athletes, as she will at the Semoball Awards on July 11 at the Southeast Missouri State River Campus.

More than 200 high school athletes will be honored at the Semoball Awards and everyone in attendance will get to hear Finch's story.

"I've been so extremely blessed through sports and through the game of softball," Finch said in an interview with the Southeast Missourian. "Now that my competing days are over it's my pleasure and my honor -- and a true gift to be able to share the life lessons that I learned through the sport and kind of use this platform that I've been given to share and encourage others, especially youth in their journey of life and in their journey through sports."

Finch said she hopes attendees will leave the Semoball Awards feeling "inspired and encouraged."

"You know, I remember hearing people speak when I was young, and those were truly inspirational moments for me that I can go back to and just feel like, 'OK, all the hard work and sacrifices that I'm doing, it's paying off and this is one step closer to my dream and goal.' ... I hope that this can be a special moment for them to hear the journey that I went through and the struggles that I had to face, the obstacles. One of the big reasons for writing my book 'Throw Like a Girl' was everybody sees the trophies, the gold medals, the highlights, the red carpets, but they don't see the blood, the sweat, the tears. And so hopefully these athletes can hear my story and see how I relate to them, and hopefully encourage them to realize that it's all about being the best you -- not looking to your left, not looking to your right. It's not about accolades, it's about fulfilling your purpose in life and doing your best at it."

Finch said it was her father, Doug Finch, who stressed to her at a young age that comparing her performance to others was useless. Her focus, he believed, should be on becoming the best player she was capable of being.

"He wouldn't let me compare myself with anybody else," Finch said. "I just had to be the best that I could be. ... Giving 70 percent isn't going to do that. It's giving 100 percent of what you've got every single day, and so luckily he kind of drilled that into me at a young age. Now I'm the one trying to share and inspire and share those same things with my kids and other youth pursuing their dreams and goals as well."

The second annual Semoball Awards, presented by SoutheastHEALTH, will also feature the revealing of the player of the year for 19 sports, the comeback player of the year, sportsmanship awards winner, coach of the year, male and female athlete of the year and lifetime achievement award winner. The first Semoball Cup also will be handed out to the school with the best overall sports program. Points are awarded based on team winning percentages and postseason success for both individuals and teams in a system that allows schools of all sizes to compete with one another.

Finch said it's important for athletes to enjoy moments of recognition that come along in the course of their careers.

"I think for every athlete, you need those reminders and encouragement," she said. "I think it's such a great time to -- a short minute just to reflect. So many times I've been asked, 'When did you know you officially made it?' And I never felt as though I made it. I was constantly trying to still compete and still make it and still be who I was. I think for these athletes and for myself, too, looking back to those moments of, 'OK, all this hard work has paid off and I'm going to enjoy this moment tonight of my light shining.' I think it's so important to kind of enjoy the journey, enjoy the process and realize that it truly is a special moment, especially when you get to be honored on a stage like the Semoball Awards."

Finch said that since her retirement she's looked back at moments that stand out, including winning an Olympic gold medal as a pitcher for Team USA in 2004.

"But I think, too, as you kind of step away you realize just how special the journey was and the grind was and how much you hated a lot of it, but you still enjoyed it at the same time," Finch said. "It's a cumulative -- I think it just comes full circle and you get to enjoy the entire process, the good and the bad and, most importantly, those memories that you can cherish forever."

Finch understands better than most that the process of an athlete reaching their potential is difficult for some. She preaches having the "proper perspective" when she talks to a struggling athlete.

"I'm a big advocate of perspective, and life is all about keeping proper perspective," Finch said. "One thing that I try to leave them with is life is good if you have a ball in your hand. It's so true. I don't care what the scoreboard says, what your record is, what your ERA is -- if you're playing a sport, life is good, and be thankful for that. Obviously, athletes, we strive to be perfectionists and want to win and want to dominate ... but at the same time you have to realize that there's plenty of young kids around this country and around this world that would dream of playing a sport and having the equipment that we do and be out there on the athletic field. You have to definitely just choose gratitude, especially in those tough times."

VIP and general admission tickets to the Semoball Awards are on sale at semoball.com/awards. VIP tickets include an opportunity to meet and have a photo taken with Finch before the show. The website also includes the finalists for each fall and winter sports and voting for the best fans contest. The spring sport finalists will be announced June 13 at First Midwest Bank in Cape Girardeau.

First Midwest Bank is the official bank sponsor of the Semoball Awards while the Harry Blackwell family of dealerships, Athlon Sports and the St. Louis Cardinals serve as title sponsors. Organizations that are interested in becoming a sponsor can contact Lucas Presson at 573-388-3649 or lpresson@semissourian.com.

"I'm looking forward to the event," Finch said. "I'm looking forward to celebrating these tremendous athletes all across the board. What a special night for them and for high school sports."