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PROVO, Utah (AP) — BYU's Marissa "Gordy" Bravo certainly has a knack for making a strong impression when leading things off. That ability has made her an integral component for the Cougar softball team's success over the last three seasons, along with paving the way to receive a scholarship offer.
The ability to make an immediate impact was recognized early by BYU softball coach Gordon Eakin upon Bravo's first visit to the program shortly after her junior year in high school.
Bravo, who is Catholic, made that initial visit relatively unaware of the school's unique social and religious components. "I seriously didn't even know BYU was a Mormon school at first or even what the Mormon Church was until a friend told me," she recalled, according to the Deseret News (http://bit.ly/1Gf8Yvm). But through observing the team workout, among other factors, Bravo quickly developed an intense desire to be a part of it all.
That desire was conveyed to Eakin in perhaps the most direct way possible.
"I remember sitting down with her that first time and going over all the unique aspects of BYU and what it took to fit in here," Eakin said. "We hadn't offered her a scholarship yet at that time, but because she was such a great talent, we were hoping we could be a great fit for her."
Eakin's hopes were granted, almost immediately.
A few hours after that first meeting, Bravo called Eakin back, asking to meet with him one more time before returning home to Southern California. What transpired at that second meeting was a bit surprising, but more than welcome for all parties.
"I remember her looking at me directly in the eyes and saying, 'Coach, you're taking me. This is where I want to play,' " Eakin said. "She was just really confident, and I ended up offering her right there on the spot, and she's been a huge part of our team ever since."
Bravo enjoyed a lot of success prior to playing for the Cougars. As part of the elite Worth Firecrackers program, she was recruited by some of the top programs nationally, including Virginia, Washington, UCLA and North Carolina.
But, perhaps a bit surprisingly, BYU stood out among all of them.
"I remember visiting all the other schools and they were just too serious for me," Bravo said. "I remember watching BYU's practices and seeing how relaxed they were, how much fun they were having, and I knew that's what I wanted. That was the type of program I wanted to be a part of. It was totally different than the other programs."
Beyond the softball field, Bravo also felt comfortable with BYU's unique environment, despite not being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"It's a big change for me coming here, but I'm a good person and I follow the same rules (LDS members) do, so I love it," Bravo said. "I love how people are here, and it's been a real good experience for me so far."
While Bravo has fit right in off the field of play, she's thrived within it.
As a freshman, she led the team with a .389 batting average and was second on the team in RBIs (43.) It was the type of immediate impact Eakin was hoping for when she was signed.
"Given the competitive program she came from out of high school, we were expecting big things, and she was able to play a huge role for us immediately," Eakin said. "She's just had a lot of real good experience and training from a young age, and obviously has a lot of natural talent and ability."
Bravo first started playing softball when she was just 7 years old, playing with her brother Michael and his friends in the streets of her Corona, California, neighborhood. She was able to hold her own playing against the boys, and encouraged by her parents, Robert and Michelle, she really began to take her development as a top softball prospect seriously.
"I have to give a ton of credit to both my parents and my brother, but especially to my mom. I'm definitely here because of her," Bravo said.
During her second season at BYU, Bravo experienced a bit of a "sophomore slump," according to Eakin. She still batted .309, but saw a big dip in her numbers across the board.
"It was the most frustrating thing ever," Bravo said of her sophomore season. "I tore my hamstring and that got me a little bit crazy. But with all that, I think I still did OK, but nowhere near what I know I can do."
With that sophomore year behind her, Bravo has been playing her best softball this season. She's currently second on the team in batting average (.453) and first in runs scored (37) for a Cougar team (30-9, 6-0) that is playing in top form as West Coast Conference play heats up.
"I feel I'm playing well and we're ready to win another conference championship here and then make a run in the NCAA Tournament," Bravo said. "That's one of the biggest reasons I came here — to really be a part of a rising program, and I feel we're going to do some great things this year. We're playing awesome and just want to keep it going."
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Information from: Deseret News, http://www.deseretnews.com
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