UPLIFTING THE NEXT GENERATION

Before FSU softball earned its reputation as a powerhouse, Dr. JoAnne Graf helped get the program off the ground. Dr. Graf, who played shortstop from 1973 to 1975, and her softball teammates played on the intramural fields and, when men’s teams shooed them away, on the band field. While Title IX was still in its infancy and FSU men’s athletics received better funding, the women’s programs struggled with basic necessities like money for meals and transportation. Once Dr. Graf became head coach in 1979, she worked to make sure her team had fair treatment. Over the years, the team received improved travel accommodations, more scholarships and a state-of-the-art ballpark. “I think that’s her driving power — her desire to see what these kids’ opportunities are vs. when she played and not having things,” said associate head coach Louie Berndt in 2005. “I would say that’s her driving force behind the success. Not settling for anything second best.”