Faces of the NPF: A True Teammate

By Rita Chinyere
NPF Association
April 9, 2009

A true teammate embodies many traits including selflessness, dedication and a positive attitude. Regardless of the win or loss column, a true teammate’s standards remain constant. Those standards stay the course regardless of adversity or hardships that may affect the team or the individual. Injury, unfortunately, is a reality for many athletes and can often affect a player’s outlook on everything from the game to the team itself. However, the way an athlete decides to deal with that misfortune is the differential between recovering and retiring. A true teammate knows it’s the difference between giving up and going all out, and no one knows this better than National Pro Fastpitch veteran Nichole Thompson.

A member of the League since its inception in 2004, Thompson has played with the New England Riptide, the Arizona Heat and most recently won a championship with the 2007 Washington Glory. Striving for success, Thompson has persistently emphasized the concept of forward progress, pushing her game to the limits. A two-time NPF All-Star and team MVP for the Arizona Heat, she has continually improved, personifying everything a true teammate should be in the process.

Thompson discovered those traits early on in life through her passion for the game of fastpitch softball. At the age of twelve, Thompson signed a contract with her mother vowing to one day earn a collegiate athletic scholarship. Six years later, Thompson made good on that promise signing a National Letter of Intent to play for the Arizona State University Sun Devils.

Her determination, dedication and hard work, paid off as Thompson excelled at ASU. Graduating in 2002 with a B.A. in Sociology, Thompson has been recognized as a four-time All-PAC 10 honoree in addition to being named to the All-Pacific Regional team twice. Capping her senior year off, Thompson was named a NFCA third team All American as a utility player in 2002. Merely two years removed from her collegiate playing days, the ASU standout signed a professional contract with the New England Riptide, becoming the first Sun Devil in program history to enter the professional ranks as a National Pro Fastpitch player. 

In 2008 the trend of exceeding expectations and rising to the occasion would pose a real challenge for the veteran once more. Excited at the prospect of battling for a repeat national championship run with the Washington Glory, Thompson returned to the diamond in Northern Virginia where the second baseman encountered the worst injury of her softball career. Thompson tore her ACL just thirty minutes into the first preseason practice of the season and had some serious choices to make. Thompson recalls, “When it happened, I felt my knee shift and pop! I just knew something bad had happened but kept thinking positive even when the MRI results came back.”

Thompson could decide to return home to southern California, or opt to make the most of the experience in the Glory market of the Washington, DC metro area. A true teammate, Thompson chose the latter. Instead of retreating, she endured ACL surgery and returned to the team to rehab while assisting her teammates in any way she could. “Staying positive was key. I knew everything happened for a reason so I just prayed and let things run their course.” As far as rehab goes, Thompson believes it’s the most important piece of the recovery puzzle. “Rehab is the most instrumental part of getting back on the field. To me, the physical rehab was the easy part. The mental aspect of rehab was the hardest part because getting over the fear of injuring it again is tough,” remarks Thompson.

The Glory finished the season third in the standings with a 30-18 record.  They returned to the NPF Championships in Kimberly, Wisconsin for the second straight season where they lost to the Chicago Bandits. While it would’ve been easy enough for Thompson to give up and go home following her surgery, the veteran stuck around to assist her team. While the Glory didn’t win a second championship, Thompson’s hard work and efforts paid off as she helped her teammates reach the NPF finals once more, despite being absent from the diamond.   

In the off-season, Thompson currently serves as the Director of Softball Operations at the Diamond Elite Indoor Softball Facility in Dulles, Virginia as she waits for the 2009 season to roll around. There, Thompson combines her passion of the game with her love for teaching children the sport of softball through private instruction. Since her ACL injury last May, Thompson has rehabbed furiously in efforts to ensure she’s back where she belongs in 2009 for her fifth season in the NPF. According to her, there’s no place she’d rather be, “I am extremely excited to put my cleats and uniform on and get back on the diamond playing the game I love!” With her dedication, determination and passion, there’s no doubt this true teammate will return to the Glory infield in 2009.

You can follow Nichole Thompson and all your favorite NPF players at www.profastpitch.com.  New features will be introduced throughout the season, including an enhanced Tournament and Camp Listing, Player Blogs, Skills & Drills, NPF Top Dog Contest, The Fastpitch Network where you can stay in touch with all your friends and more!  You can also join the TEAM NPF FAN CLUB presented by Rip-It Sporting Goods and receive regular updates and special offers exclusively for NPF fans and supporters.  Coming soon…Little League Day at NPF Ballparks!

Nichole Thompson photos provided by SOL TUCKER ©