Farish Beard
South Alabama senior Farish Beard is coming off a strong season and will carry the workload in 2015. Last season she earned both All-Region and All-Conference honors . One main reason was Beard’s 224 strikeouts and a 1.23 ERA.
FPN: Who or what inspired you the most to pursue your dream?
Beard: My parents. From day one, they always pushed me to be the best that I can be in everything I did. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
FPN: Some advice to people who want to follow your path; what are three things you should do to help yourself improve as a player?
Beard: The biggest advice I could ever give anyone is to always give 100 percent in everything you do. Every day that you go out on the field is a privilege, and you should never take it for granted.
FPN: What is the first thing you look forward to in the off-season, why?
Beard: Relaxing at the beach with my family. The beach is my happy place, and during the season you miss a lot of quality family time, so I always look forward to spending time with them.
FPN: What difficulties did you encounter transitioning from high school to college? (softball or just college wise)
Beard: Time management was one of the first difficulties I encountered. There just didn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to do everything you wanted, including sleep. I also missed home a lot, even though I was only 30 minutes from home. Thankfully, that didn’t last long because I had some of the best teammates and coaches, who made South Alabama feel like home.
FPN: Do you prefer Gatorade or water, why? If Gatorade, which is your favorite flavor/color?
Beard: Depends on the day. I mostly drink water, but when we play I either like Frost Gatorade, or our trainer, Karla Beasley, makes a secret mixture of Gatorade called “Jag Juice.” It’s delicious!
FPN: What is your favorite thing about your coach, why?
Beard: My favorite thing about coach [Becky] Clark is that she’s more than just a softball coach; she’s like my personal life coach. Coach has taught me so many life lessons throughout my 3 years, including how to change a tire. She cares so much about each and every one of us and wants to see us succeed in everything we do, not just softball.
FPN: In your mind what is a breakfast for champions?
Beard: Eggs, turkey bacon, toast with peanut butter, fruit and a big cup of coffee.
Extra Innings
FPN: Which do you like better, Chipotle or Taco Bell?
Beard: Chipotle – there’s no question about it. I probably eat there once a week.
