You might not know it, but the Boston University softball team has one of the greatest softball players of all time.
Only she’s not playing.
Assistant coach Jocelyn Forest was nominated on March 24, for the NCAA Championships 25th Anniversary Team and for the Most Outstanding Player of the 2002 College World Series — and she wasn’t expecting it.
“I had no idea it was even happening,” Forest said. “The only reason I even found out is because [BU head coach] Shawn [Rychcik] called me and said, ‘Hey you’re on here.'”
Forest is one of 36 players nominated for a spot on the prestigious team. She is not without some stiff competition, however. Of the 36 players considered, 17 are nominated at the pitcher position, including Olympic gold medalist and ESPN darling Jennie Finch.
“It’s an honor, especially considering how many great players there have been in the past 25 years,” Forest said.
Forest grew up in Santa Maria, Calif., surrounded by siblings and cousins who all played softball, most of whom were pitchers as well.
“It was kind of in the family,” Forest said. “I started pitching a little bit and my uncle said I was pretty good.”
Forest almost ended up in a concert hall instead of in the 2002 NCAA championship game for the University of California.
“My aunt and uncle had contemplated getting me piano lessons one year or pitching lessons, because we had a piano in the house and I always tinkered around on that too,” Forest said. “They decided to go with the pitching lessons and the rest is history.”
As an All-American at Righetti High School, Forest became only the third player in California state history to strike out more than 500 batters, after striking out 507 her junior year. She was one of 40 players invited to the selection camp for the 1999 USA Junior Girls National Team. From there, she was off to Cal for four spectacular years that culminated with a national championship.
“Those were the best times of my life,” Forest said. “You learn a lot playing at that level and against the best softball players in the world. After all the hours of sweat and hard work, to be rewarded with that ultimate goal, it was awesome, almost like a dream really.”
Over the course of Forest’s career at Cal, she racked up 103 wins and just 42 losses, which means she was victorious in 71 percent of her wins. She also posted 1.21 strikeouts for every inning pitched, K-ing 1,203 batters in just 993.1 innings, while maintaining an earned-run average of 1.30. Forest’s best statistical year came in 2001 when she struck out 364 batters in 255.1 innings, with an ERA of 0.82 and two no-hitters.
Despite her success at Cal, it never came easyily for Forest, as she struggled to balance softball and school.
“Nothing has been nearly as challenging,” Forest said. “In fact, it over-prepared me for what was to come after college.”
Forest hadn’t always planned on becoming a coach, originally thinking her huge senior year would be her swan song for softball. But after becoming bored with what the world outside of softball had to offer, she gave playing another shot.
Playing semi-pro ball for a Netherlands team — DSC 74 — Forest led them to their first ever Dutch League Championship as the league MVP. She then decided to give coaching a shot, starting at Encinal High School in Alameda, Calif., and after it took hold in a big way, eventually coaching led her to BU.
“I love it. It’s what I want to do forever,” Forest said. “Ever since I’ve been here I’ve realized that this is what I want to do. It’s what I’m good at. It’s what I know and it’s completely rewarding.”
Forest doesn’t yell or bark at her players, nor does she like to present herself as a dictator. Being so recently removed from her playing days, she maintains a player’s mindset — they are all in it together and they need to find the best ways to accomplish their goals.
“I have high expectations for our team, I really think we have a lot of good players and more than anything we just have a lot of great kids, everybody meshes extremely well,” Forest said. “There’s no drama, which is a blessing. Anytime you get 16 kids together, you’re going to get some drama, but we just don’t have that.”
The Terriers are lucky to have an assistant who is so passionate about her job. The team could not ask for a better example to lead them to success. With so many young players on this season’s team, they need her experience and passion to show them the right way to play the game.
“I love the strategy that’s involved, it’s not simply a physical sport. You have to be smart. You have to make quick decisions, you have to commit to those decisions,” Forest said. “It’s not an individual thing, it’s everyone playing their role and doing their thing for each other.”
After a couple months of seeing her players go through exactly what she went through in college, Forest has a newfound appreciation for the game. As injuries plague the team and the Terriers are left with a talented but inexperienced freshman pitching staff, it’s an important message for all players to hear. And if their play on the field is any example, they have.
“You should really cherish it while you have the time,” Forest said. “You should not take it for granted, it goes by so fast and you don’t totally appreciate it until you’re near the end.”