Wartburg softball has made me stronger mentally and physically 

NAME: Olivia Brecht 
CLASS YEAR: 2022
HOMETOWN: Center Point 
MAJOR: Social work

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE WARTBURG: When I was deciding where I wanted to go, I felt like Wartburg gave me a sense of being at home, and it reminded me a lot of where I come from. It was bigger than my hometown, but it wasn’t too big. I really liked the environment and the atmosphere when I got on campus. It made me feel at home and in such a safe environment.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE SOCIAL WORK: The main reason is I want to have the opportunity to stand up for people who can’t stand up for themselves. I want to help give people the knowledge and confidence to make good decisions while empowering them and giving them resources to be the best versions of themselves. I have a huge heart and I genuinely care about people’s lives; I want to use that and make a difference in someone’s life. 

WHY DID YOU WANT TO BE A STUDENT-ATHLETE: Softball is something that’s always been a huge part of my life. Ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to play at the next level. The Wartburg coaches contacted me when I was in high school. When I came here for a visit, I fell in love with the campus. I really enjoyed watching the team interact, and I knew I wanted to be a part of something like that. I loved how they were coaching, and the team had everything that I wanted to be a part of.

Olivia Brecht

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST ABOUT BEING ON THE SOFTBALL TEAMThe relationships that I have made with my teammates. They are like my family away from home. When softball is over, it’s going to be super sad, but I’m going to have lifelong friendships that I’ve made here.

WHAT EXPERIENCES HAVE YOU HAD IN YOUR MAJORI got to work with the Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging and have been connected to Four Oaks, where I was able to volunteer and play with children. There is always somewhere that I can go to learn more about my department, and my adviser is always willing to help.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SOFTBALL MEMORYMy freshman year we got a bid to the NCAA Tournament, where we were able to play at a higher level and prove to a lot of people that we deserve to be there.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE SCHOOL AND ATHLETICS AT THE COLLEGE LEVELBalancing athletics and school at the college level has never been an issue for me because I have such a set schedule every day. If anything, it has taught me better time management, and I can get more things done. Communicating with professors ahead of time is also something that has helped me academically. I have grown so much as a student and a person because of my athletic experience that I will be able to incorporate into my career and my everyday life outside of Wartburg. 

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO FOR THE NEXT SEASON: Finally being able to compete again and play with the girls. We’ve been working super hard on this really long off-season.

WHAT ADVICE THAT YOU HAVE FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS WHO ARE LOOKING TO PLAY SOFTBALL: Coming in on the softball team, you need to be ready to work and it’s going to be tough, but at the end of it you’re going to grow so much as a person. I can honestly say I am a much stronger young woman now than I was when I came in two years ago. You’re going to get a lot out of it, and you’re just going to grow so much as a person. I would definitely say it’s worth it to be on the softball team here.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER GRADUATIONAfter I graduate from Wartburg, I plan to attend a university to get my master’s degree in social work. I have hopes of moving out of state to gain a new experience and perspective.