Coming from British Columbia, Canada, to play for the Lady Saints softball team is 1st Team All-Jayhawk West and All-Region VI player and biology major Felisha Vogelaar.

Vogelaar is a utility player, playing several positions in and out of the field, starting 57 of the 59 games for the 2013 season. With 2014 season starting off on a good note, Vogelaar is looking forward to the homeruns she will be able to get.

In 2010, 2011 and in 2012, Vogelaar was voted Female Athlete of the Year and was on the honor roll from middle school up until her graduation of Mount Boucherie Secondary School in Canada.

Vogelaar played in a softball program at her hometown, where her passion for the sport was clear as recruiters watched her play. The opportunity to play for the Saints arose and Vogelaar took it.

It’s been a different experience Vogelaar has encountered when coming to Liberal, Kansas. “It’s just flat, and dry,” she said. Granted it’s noticeably different than from Canada, but she still enjoys the warm weather more.

Vogelaar’s hobbies do include hanging out with her friends and having a good time, though she does appreciate her time alone. It’s all according to the mood that has been set for the day, and on days where she needs a little extra support, she’s glad to say that her parents are only a phone call away.

“I Facetime them every week, and on my bad days, I don’t hesitate to call them twice because they always know exactly what to say to make me feel better.”

Her parents always tell her, “Just think on one thing that’s positive in your day and focus on that instead of the negatives,” that’s what motivates Vogelaar to continue strong, and know that she can do it.

Her parents have been Vogelaar’s biggest influence on this long distance journey.

A person that is family-oriented, Vogelaar sees them every year for spring break at an Arizona tournament that she participates in.

“Spring break is around the corner, and I am more than ready to see them once again,” she said excitedly.

Coming down to Liberal as a freshman has definitely created a positive impact on Vogelaar’s life. It has shaped her into an independent woman and having supportive parents made the transition a bit easier for her.

One of Vogelaar’s dreams was to play softball for the Olympics, “but softball isn’t in the Olympics anymore, but that’s still not an obstacle. If the opportunity arises for me to play softball as a career, I’m in,” she said.

If softball isn’t in her future, Vogelaar wants to major in the biology field, and if that doesn’t work, “a gym teacher is always cool,” she exclaims.

She is still exploring different colleges after she graduates Seward and plans on keeping those options open. North Dakota has contacted her, but she has been hesitant about that. “I’d prefer a college in Texas because of the warm weather,” she said.

Vogelaar’s proudest moments as an athlete were her homeruns in the 2013 season. Although she has not hit any yet for this season, she is still optimistic that her team is off to a good start for 2014.

Vogelaar has and is enjoying her time at Seward, and plans on keeping it that way until the end. She does emphasize on her motto throughout her time here as an athlete, student, and overall friend, “Grace carried me here, and by grace I will carry on.”