Brookbank-Schaal is Back with Akron Racers at Age 39
Carla Brookbank-Schaal lives and breathes softball.
Even when her professional career came to an end eight years ago, the 39-year-old right-handed pitcher continued to give pitching lessons.
Even as Brookbank-Schaal raised four kids, the thought of stepping back onto the mound and staring down opposing batters intrigued her.
So when the opportunity to return to the game she loves arose, Brookbank-Schaal knew that she couldn't pass it up.
"Even after a while I thought that I had passed that phase of my life, the desire to play started resurfacing when we had our last child," Brookbank-Schaal said. "When you see your kids become a little bit more independent, you realize that there's a small amount of time for yourself."
After giving birth to her fourth child two years ago, the Kent State graduate knew that rehabbing the injured hip she had was the first step.
Once November 2010 came, she knew that she had to try to come back.
A Mid-American Conference Player of the Year in 1995 and Kent State record-holder, Brookbank-Schaal joined the Women's Professional Softball League in 1997. She played with the Durham Dragons and Virginia Roadsters before joining the Akron Racers in 1999.
She was nominated for the WPSL's Most Valuable Player Award in 1997 and played two seasons with the Racers before returning in 2004 with the California Sunbirds.
Four kids later, Brookbank-Schaal knew it was time to return to her passion. She decided in November to return to the Racers for the 2011 season. Although she had not played professionally in over six years, the former Golden Flash felt ready for live competition.
While doubts lingered in the back of her mind, Brookbank-Schaal was determined to pitch again.
"Even in November through May, I was always confident I could do it but there was always something in the back of my mind," Brookbank-Schaal said. "I'm in shape, I know I can compete and I didn't have other girls around me to evaluate myself up against."
She joined a young, but talented team with the Racers, and during her first practice with the team, Brookbank-Schaal knew she could compete.
On June 10, her husband and four children came to watch the Racers play the USSSA Pride. Brookbank-Schaal was called into the game with the Racers trailing 5-0 in the seventh inning. She allowed one hit in a scoreless inning in her debut.
"There were a lot of emotions behind that, a lot of excitement, a lot of adrenaline," Brookbank-Schaal said. "My family was there, my kids were there. I was kind of balancing the emotions and adrenaline and I made it through that initial thing, and (I'm) still trying to balance all of those emotions."
In five appearances this season, she has pitched 11.2 innings, allowed ten hits and six earned runs.
It wasn't her performance on the field that had Brookbank-Schaal concerned. She wondered how her children would adjust to the life.
When she decided to make the comeback, Carla organized a schedule for her children when the season started.
The season is ten weeks long with limited time traveling, and her children are taking advantage of the family's time at the ballpark.
"They run around the ballpark," Brookbank-Schaal said. "Even if I'm not pitching, they just like running around. There are a lot of fun things for the kids at the ball park. That's helpful and reassuring."
Current Kent State hurler Lauren McNeil wears No. 4 on her back in honor of Brookbank-Schaal, who has given McNeil pitching lessons since she was nine years old.
"Carla's been a great advocate for softball in Northeast Ohio and a real role model for young players," said Kent State pitching coach Amy Densevich, a former teammate of Brookbank-Schaal. "If anyone can make a comeback at the highest level at the age of 39…it's Carla. No one can match her competitive spirit, work ethic and passion for the game. She's in better physical shape now than when she was in college…she's a machine."
The Racers' season is only a third of the way over, and the team is three games back of first place. As the season progresses, Brookbank-Schaal feels the effects of playing a sport at the age of 39, but she's not going to rule out a return in 2012 before talking to the people who are most important to her—family.
"Is it a good decision for my kids, is it a good decision for my family," Brookbank-Schaal said. "It's hard to say no, just because we've only been through it for a third of the season. I'll talk to my kids after the season and see afterwards what my future may hold."
