QUOTE
A humble star
Michigan City's Jameka Collins fields a groundball during action this season at Wolves Park. Photo by Robb Quinn
Michigan City’s Jameka Collins excelled in her junior season, did everything well, tabbed H-A Softball Player of the Year
By Zack Eldridge
Staff Writer
1-866-362-2167, Ext. 13869
zeldridge@heraldargus.com
Published: Friday, June 15, 2012 4:57 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — Take five minutes to watch Jameka Collins play and most people assume she’s a senior. That’s not the case, however. And coach Candy Feare is glad.
The Michigan City softball junior shortstop played well beyond her years.
Whether it was her unmatched instincts for the game, her exceptional hitting ability, her incredible arm, her dependable defense, or her blazing speed. She can beat a team a number of ways.
For all her accomplishments on the field this past season, Collins was selected The La Porte County Herald-Argus 2012 Softball Player of the Year.
*
Collins hit .481 with 29 RBIs, guiding the Wolves to a 16-12 record. She had a whopping 39 hits, including 10 doubles and six home runs. She had an amazing 21 extra-base hits.
“Most of the time I didn’t really even keep up with it,” said Collins, a two-sport star. “I guess it’s a good thing that I did more than I did last year. I get better every year.”
Collins’ on-base percentage was .531 and her slugging percentage was .951, combining for a 1.482 on-base plus slugging percentage. She was also tabbed All-Duneland Conference.
“There’s no doubt in my head she’s probably one of the top, if not the top player in the area,” Feare said. “She means a lot to our program. She’s very humbled about her abilities, confident but not cocky.”
When Michigan City began the season 1-6, Collins was roughly 90 percent of the team’s offense.
Even though she was a star on the softball diamond, Collins is proud of staying grounded.
“I want people to see that I’m not cocky about anything I do,” Collins said. “I don’t like putting people down, so I just don’t show any cockiness towards anyone.”
Collins helped the Wolves have a resurgence this past season.
The team beat Crown Point for the first time since Feare took over the program seven years ago, knocked off county nemesis La Porte, and had some other special moments. Collins fittingly caught a popup for the last out in Michigan City’s 7-3 win over the Bulldogs, then later, she had an RBI double in City’s 3-0 defeat of the Slicers. She played sparkling defense in both games.
Collins played a significant part in shaping Michigan City’s season.
“Our girls fed off of her and she fed off other players,” Feare said. “We really had a good season as far as being a team. And her numbers obviously speak for themselves.
“She was able to do the things she was asked to do. She was asked to produce runs for us this year, kind of a different role than what she kind of had in the past.”
Collins said what she’ll remember the most from the season is the team’s chemistry and how the team played for each other.
“How we came together as a team because we weren’t doing as well at the beginning of the season,” Collins said. “And I’m really going to miss how our captains were, Peyton (Webb) and Allison (Martinez), how big of a role they played as captains and kept our heads up.”
Feare added her speed in a variety of areas sets Collins apart from other players.
“Her speed is incredible,” Feare said. “Her speed in the field to be able to get to balls that a lot of kids won’t get to. Her speed on the base paths, by the time I’m sending her, she’s already there. She probably is the fastest kid in this area, no question. And when I say speed, I mean the speed of her bat and the speed of her swing. There isn’t a pitcher in this area that can blow it by her.”
Collins is now playing for the Indiana Raiders this summer, a travel softball team out of Portage. Her high school teammate, Webb, is also on that team. She will play several games this summer, playing virtually every weekend.
Her competitive nature will be on full display. Collins said that aids her as a softball player.
”It really motivates me to how good I need to do,” she said.
Collins was asked, ‘You like to win everything you do then?’
“Yeah, I’d say so,” Collins said. “I don’t like losing but I don’t really show it. If I lose, I don’t have a sensitivity for it until later on. I just know I have to work harder than I did before.”
Michigan City's Jameka Collins fields a groundball during action this season at Wolves Park. Photo by Robb Quinn
Michigan City’s Jameka Collins excelled in her junior season, did everything well, tabbed H-A Softball Player of the Year
By Zack Eldridge
Staff Writer
1-866-362-2167, Ext. 13869
zeldridge@heraldargus.com
Published: Friday, June 15, 2012 4:57 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — Take five minutes to watch Jameka Collins play and most people assume she’s a senior. That’s not the case, however. And coach Candy Feare is glad.
The Michigan City softball junior shortstop played well beyond her years.
Whether it was her unmatched instincts for the game, her exceptional hitting ability, her incredible arm, her dependable defense, or her blazing speed. She can beat a team a number of ways.
For all her accomplishments on the field this past season, Collins was selected The La Porte County Herald-Argus 2012 Softball Player of the Year.
*
Collins hit .481 with 29 RBIs, guiding the Wolves to a 16-12 record. She had a whopping 39 hits, including 10 doubles and six home runs. She had an amazing 21 extra-base hits.
“Most of the time I didn’t really even keep up with it,” said Collins, a two-sport star. “I guess it’s a good thing that I did more than I did last year. I get better every year.”
Collins’ on-base percentage was .531 and her slugging percentage was .951, combining for a 1.482 on-base plus slugging percentage. She was also tabbed All-Duneland Conference.
“There’s no doubt in my head she’s probably one of the top, if not the top player in the area,” Feare said. “She means a lot to our program. She’s very humbled about her abilities, confident but not cocky.”
When Michigan City began the season 1-6, Collins was roughly 90 percent of the team’s offense.
Even though she was a star on the softball diamond, Collins is proud of staying grounded.
“I want people to see that I’m not cocky about anything I do,” Collins said. “I don’t like putting people down, so I just don’t show any cockiness towards anyone.”
Collins helped the Wolves have a resurgence this past season.
The team beat Crown Point for the first time since Feare took over the program seven years ago, knocked off county nemesis La Porte, and had some other special moments. Collins fittingly caught a popup for the last out in Michigan City’s 7-3 win over the Bulldogs, then later, she had an RBI double in City’s 3-0 defeat of the Slicers. She played sparkling defense in both games.
Collins played a significant part in shaping Michigan City’s season.
“Our girls fed off of her and she fed off other players,” Feare said. “We really had a good season as far as being a team. And her numbers obviously speak for themselves.
“She was able to do the things she was asked to do. She was asked to produce runs for us this year, kind of a different role than what she kind of had in the past.”
Collins said what she’ll remember the most from the season is the team’s chemistry and how the team played for each other.
“How we came together as a team because we weren’t doing as well at the beginning of the season,” Collins said. “And I’m really going to miss how our captains were, Peyton (Webb) and Allison (Martinez), how big of a role they played as captains and kept our heads up.”
Feare added her speed in a variety of areas sets Collins apart from other players.
“Her speed is incredible,” Feare said. “Her speed in the field to be able to get to balls that a lot of kids won’t get to. Her speed on the base paths, by the time I’m sending her, she’s already there. She probably is the fastest kid in this area, no question. And when I say speed, I mean the speed of her bat and the speed of her swing. There isn’t a pitcher in this area that can blow it by her.”
Collins is now playing for the Indiana Raiders this summer, a travel softball team out of Portage. Her high school teammate, Webb, is also on that team. She will play several games this summer, playing virtually every weekend.
Her competitive nature will be on full display. Collins said that aids her as a softball player.
”It really motivates me to how good I need to do,” she said.
Collins was asked, ‘You like to win everything you do then?’
“Yeah, I’d say so,” Collins said. “I don’t like losing but I don’t really show it. If I lose, I don’t have a sensitivity for it until later on. I just know I have to work harder than I did before.”