Hammack to play softball at St. Mary's

SANDPOINT — These two words kept popping up Friday as Sandpoint’s Rachel Hammack signed a scholarship to play softball at Saint Mary’s College: Work ethic.

Her coaches, her parents, and even Hammack herself touted a stellar work ethic as the key to her playing her favorite sport in college, a dream she’s had as long as she can remember. A long time back she put a piece of paper on the corner of her mirror saying she would get a Division 1 scholarship, something she looked at every day for affirmation.

After signing a $28,000 scholarship to play for the Gaels of the West Coast Conference, her self-described “dream school,” it might be time to put up a new piece of paper on the mirror.

“It’s everything, the world; it’s been my goal since I was a little girl,” described Hammack of signing a scholarship, adding a caveat that surprised no one. “It means I have to start working harder.”

There’s also plenty of talent to go with the hard work, as Hammack sports a robust .453 batting average to go with a team-high 18 runs, three home runs, 14 RBIs and a .547 on base percentage. She attracted interest from Boise State, Cal State San Bernardino, Western Washington and North Idaho College before making her decision.

Saint Mary’s upped its scholarship offer considerably after Hammack proved she could also excel at catcher. She visited the picturesque campus in Moraga, California, with her club coach Chris Stangel, who once pitched for the Gaels, and the decision became that much easier. She hopes to start at third base as a freshman, and Sandpoint head coach Derek Dickinson believes she has the right mix of skill and dedication to make an immediate impact.

“If anybody deserves this it’s her. She’s put in more work than any athlete I’ve ever coached,” said Dickinson. “She’s grown into the upper echelon of hitters around the area and the sky is the limit for her.”

Softball has been a year-round pursuit for Hammack, who played in Spokane and traveled to numerous summer tournaments, where she caught the eye of college scouts. It’s a labor of love for Hammack, who plays the game with an all-out style not often seen at the high school level. She’s been one of the top players in the Inland Empire League all four years as a varsity starter.

“I like the intensity of it, that mode you get in,” she described of softball, before being asked to elaborate. “When you’re like ‘I’m either going to win or die right here.’ You go all out with that adrenaline.”

Proud parents P.J. and Jack Hammack have seen first-hand the blood, sweat and tears given to the game by their daughter. The long car rides, many practices and unyielding support was rewarded in seeing their daughter fulfill her dream.

“It’s a huge credit to the coaches,” said a modest Jack Hammack. “We didn’t do this, we just watched it happen. We’ve been there for support.”