Berlin Brothersvalley's Allen to play softball in Massachusetts
Berlin Brothersvalley senior middle infielder Rori Allen is the field general for the Mountaineer softball team. She helped Berlin reach the District 5 Class 1A title game a season ago.
On Thursday, Allen announced her intentions to attend and play softball at Division III Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
"It was just a good fit," said Allen of Lesley. "I love the area. I love having things to do. It is a much more diverse area than Berlin. I am going to have a lot more to experience up there."
Allen attended a camp in Long Island, New York, where she has family. Through her research, Allen found more colleges in the surrounding states. Eventually, she discovered Lesley and went on a tour of the campus with her mother and met with coach Kelsey Smith.
Ickes makes college decision Berlin Brothersvalley's Lynndee Ickes to play volleyball at the collegiate level
"Now that I've made it to this point, I know I don't have so much to worry about," Allen said of her collegiate commitment. "Obviously, I still have that pressure of wanting to do well and perform, but I know that I have the ability to do this. I can play to the best of my ability without worrying about where I'm going to college."
Allen will likely play second base in college. She feels comfortable taking on a leadership role.
"I feel like I am a good teammate. I have a presence on the field," Allen said. "I have a good feel of the field. Being a middle infielder, you have to be able to command your teammates and know what you're doing on the field as well."
Allen finished third on the Mountaineers in RBIs last season. Her game has evolved each season, also playing travel ball to fine-tune her craft.
"Her work ethic is above and beyond," Berlin coach Brian Slope said of Allen. "She is the first one at practice and one of the last ones to leave. She is completely coachable. She takes the good with the bad. She listens and puts in the effort to make herself and her teammates better. She will always help her teammates. As a leader, you can look at her in any drill or situation and say, 'Look at her. Watch what she does.'"
Allen continues to work on all aspects of her game, especially one that has hampered her in the past.
"I've always struggled with the mental side of the game. I seem to get in my own head," Allen said. "I know I have the physical ability to play the game. I've grown from that through my support systems and coaches. We had a great coaching staff last year that helped me with the mental side of the game."
Allen is a member of National Honor Society. She boasts a 3.8 GPA and plans to major in biology. She is the daughter of Russell and Amanda Webreck. Allen thanks her parents and coaches for their support over the years.
Adam Ripple is the Daily American sports editor. He can be reached at 814-444-5926. Follow him on X (Twitter) @ARipple_DAsport. Follow Daily American Sports on Facebook and @dailyamericanmedia on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Berlin's Allen eager to continue softball career at collegiate level
