A ballplayer who’s devoted to her crew, initially, Evergreen junior Maile Wong prefers not to attract additional consideration to herself.
However as a result of she occurs to be a lady taking part in highschool baseball, a male-dominated sport, Wong’s distinctive place is one thing her coaches, teammates and even different women can be taught from.
“Maile doesn’t want to make it about her,” mentioned Chad Burchett, Evergreen’s head coach since 2009 who hadn’t seen a lady come by means of this system earlier than Wong. “But it is special, it is amazing and she’s a great ambassador, especially for other girls just to see they’re capable of doing anything.”
Wong made historical past with Evergreen this season when she earned a spot on the Plainsmen’s varsity crew after taking part in JV as a freshman and taking her sophomore 12 months off. She’s performed in all six of the crew’s video games thus far this season at second base, rapidly gaining respect from teammates and coaches.
“It’s a brotherhood out here, and Maile’s now part of the brotherhood,” Evergreen senior Jayson Whedon mentioned. “She’s just a sister out here to us and we’re all gonna keep working with her and she’s gonna work with us.”
Roughly 1,400 women nationwide performed highschool baseball in the course of the 2023-24 faculty 12 months, in line with a Nationwide Federation of State Excessive College Associations participation survey, down from 1,572 the earlier 12 months. Wong and Ridgefield senior Natalie Evans are the one identified contributors in Southwest Washington.
Whereas some women face an uphill battle to play, Wong has been welcomed with open arms at Evergreen.
“I love this team,” Wong mentioned. “My coaches are great. They’re all super uplifting, they all cheer us on. Yeah, I love it here.”
Wong grew up across the recreation along with her two brothers, and began taking part in baseball when she was 5 in Camas Little League. She turned the primary lady to make a Camas all-star crew when she was 10. As she continued taking part in alongside male teammates who grew larger and stronger, she discovered different methods to compete.
“Growing up, I was always told to work three times as hard,” mentioned Wong, “so that when they all hit puberty I’d be able to keep up with them.”
Upon arriving at Evergreen Excessive College, the place her mother is a instructor, Wong’s introduction to Evergreen baseball throughout winter exercises within the weight room and batting cages was an intimidating surroundings to stroll into.
As quickly as she stepped on the sector, nevertheless, she knew she was going to be OK.
However after Wong’s freshman 12 months on JV, she encountered a unfavorable expertise taking part in on a summer season ball crew. In consequence, she determined to step away from the sport as a sophomore “to focus on my mental health,” uncertain when or if she would return.
Burchett, who’s additionally a counselor at Evergreen, went into recruiting mode this 12 months to persuade Wong to play. Though she was initially noncommittal, when she confirmed as much as the primary day of tryouts in March, Evergreen coaches have been thrilled.
So what drew Wong again to the Plainsmen?
“I honestly think the people, some of our seniors I played with freshman year, and I really wanted to get one last season with them,” she mentioned.
Wong was one in all 12 gamers to make varsity. The scouting report, in line with Burchett, reads as follows: Her baseball IQ is off the charts. She’s all the time within the recreation, all the time mentally ready. A basic participant, too.
And?
“She’s tough as hell,” Burchett mentioned. “She’s as powerful as (any) child we’ve got on this program. She’s been taking part in baseball her complete life. She’s been round boys and he or she’s simply one in all us, she’s one of many guys.
“She was kind of on the fence about it, and I just said, ‘Hey, we need you.’ I think her building her confidence up to where she believes, and now she’s seen that she can compete with these guys.”
Wong had a breakthrough second in Evergreen’s third recreation of the season in opposition to Seaside (Ore.) on March 22 when she smoked a line-drive base hit to middle subject in an eventual 6-5 win for the Plainsmen.
The hit was a blur for her and the crew, however reflecting on it a number of days later, they acknowledged the importance of the second.
“I don’t remember a lot, but I do remember that the pitcher was kind of giggling at me, so that made the hit feel a lot better,” Wong mentioned.
Exterior of highschool and summer season ball, Wong has additionally performed for the East Bay Hurricanes, a California-based all-girls crew, starting in 2019. Sharing these experiences with different women who love baseball, a few of whom additionally play on highschool boys groups, have been invaluable to Wong.
“That’s a connection that, I think, is unmatched,” she mentioned. “Getting to bond with those girls who have gone through some of the same things I’ve gone through, I think that’s something I will hold in my heart forever.”
Wong has additionally impressed women nearer to house. A number of coaches on Evergreen’s employees have daughters, together with Burchett, whose 13-year-old daughter typically asks her dad, “how’s Maile doing?”
“For my daughter to see somebody like that, that looks like her, she’s a phenomenal role model,” Burchett mentioned. “Her attitude is so positive. But like I said, she doesn’t expect anything different … she just wants to be a ballplayer. That’s the approach we’ve taken and it’s just awesome to have her. I hope that other kids, young girls see her, idolize that and (say), ‘Hey, we can get out and scrap with the boys.’”
Wong hears tales like these, and in flip, attracts inspiration from them to maintain pushing.
“Sometimes I hear of little girls, they want to wear my number on their back, or they’re shocked that I play,” Wong mentioned. “They want to come see my play. And that’s why I play.”
