Megan Rasmussen’s comeback: her chance to play again
To some people, sports seem like a monotonous chore. Yet, to Megan Rasmussen, a Pembroke Pines Charter Alumni from class of 2023, sports is her entire life.
Megan started playing sports when she was only three years old. She had played many different sports throughout her lifetime, yet one really caught her eye: Softball. “As I got older, I just fell in love with the game.” There was something about the game and seeing players swing at the ball with such strength that interested her, Rasmussen quickly fell in love with the game.
During her time at PPCHS, she played for the Varsity Softball team throughout all four years of high school. Being a part of the Softball program has a lot of honor and respect to it, since the program motto is “Tradition, Pride, and Excellence.” When her cleats touched the clay of a softball field it reminded her of what being in the softball program meant and carried the honor with her while playing. During her senior year, the varsity softball team hired a new coach, Maxwell Romero. He helped Megan see softball in a different perspective as a player and as a teammate.
During softball’s off season of her junior and senior year, she played for the girls’ varsity basketball team. Playing a second sport for her high school taught her time management, which was a big part of what prepared her for being a student athlete in college.
While playing for the varsity softball team, she had earned the MVP (Most Valuable Player) award in her junior and senior year while having a batting average of .506. She had also made first team all-county for Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald multiple times, as well as the All-State Team her senior year. Rasmussen believes that being a part of the PPCHS softball program has “Overall has helped me develop into a better student athlete over the years.”
Megan’s senior year, she received the AICE diploma, which she earned with the help of all of her teachers at Charter who motivated her to push for this achievement. While in PPCHS, Megan also dedicated her time to the CHAT newspaper, being in the newsroom for four years and becoming layout editor in her senior year.
Since Megan was young, she knew that she wanted to play softball at a collegiate level. She had always dreamed of playing for a division I level school, which came true.
Rasmussen had received an offer to go to a Division I school to play Softball in Jacksonville State University in Alabama. After countless hours of dedication and hard work, Megan made her dream into her reality. When Megan toured the university, she fell in love with the school and everything it had to offer. “There is honestly nothing like Jacksonville State, it is just different, in a good way.” Megan Rasmussen describes. Their softball team was the most respected sports team at the college as well, which ultimately made her commit to Jacksonville State to continue her softball career.
Once Megan had gotten to college, the hard work of having team practices, five am weights, and college classes had begun. After endless training, Rasmussen was prepared to make her college debut. When her number was called, however, a change in the lineup had to be made. Suddenly getting injured, she had gotten stress reactions in both of her shins, and this had changed the game for Megan. Instead of being on the field, Rasmussen had to watch her new team play without her and cheer from the sidelines as she waited to fully heal. Having to watch her dreams in front of her, she was crushed that she couldn’t be on the field alongside her teammates.
After about eight weeks of watching her team play from the bench, she was able to get the boots off and was very soon cleared to play a few weeks after. She then was able to accomplish her dreams and became a starting outfielder for her Division I softball team.
While stepping on the field with the tradition, pride and excellence that she has carried from PPCHS. “Most importantly what I have taken away from being at PPCHS is to never take anything for granted and live in the moment because you will never get those memories and moments back.” Megan said.
As she continues to make great accomplishments, her legacy and achievements at Pembroke Pines Charter High School will never leave.
