It is a point in time that every athlete must face. The time when the clock has wound down to zero or the last out has been made for the final time, marking the end of their playing days. 

Recently, Jackson Parish native Lauren Menzina, had to deal with that dose of reality when she played her final game as a member of the Louisiana Tech University softball team. 

For 18 years, beginning as a young child on the ball fields of the Jackson Parish Recreation Department to becoming a sports star at Cedar Creek High School in Ruston and Louisiana Tech, Menzina spent countless hours and days working to  become better at her craft. 

She will now lay aside her amateur athletic status and look to become a professional – in Dentistry!

The daughter of Jonesboro businessman, Lonnie and his wife Jill (Brown) Menzina, recently reflected on what playing softball meant to her in a stirring post she submitted to her Facebook page that has been reprinted below. 

What if softball was just the friends we made along the way?

Well here we are! How do you let go of something that was a huge piece of your life for 18 years? I wouldn’t trade the memories made, the lessons learned, and the relationships built for anything!

Thank you to every teammate, every coach, and every single person that played a role in my story. 

Thank you to the OGs, the most special group of girls! KB and Carol grew up with me and have made me a better person and player ever since. Gentry, Olivia, and Emma (and Brooke Diaz, too, honorary OG in my opinion) came along freshmen year and have done the same since then. These six girls made my career so special in different ways, and I am overwhelmingly grateful for their forever friendship.

Tor all the girlies out there that love softball like me – remember that how well you pitch/hit a big yellow ball does NOT determine your self worth! It’s a GAME, not your identity. Be a great teammate! Embrace whatever role you are in! AND prioritize your mental health always. Treasure every single moment, don’t get caught up in the bad, and celebrate the heck out of the good!

I got to say thank you to my parents! my rocks! Thank you for loving me and the game as much as I do! Thank you for following me around the country to let me do what I love for as long as possible! I could never repay you for the love and support you have poured into me!

Lastly, certainly not least, my girl in the last picture: (Sister Caroline) MY WHY! I played every single pitch, inning, and game for a little girl who wore #4 before me that didn’t get enough time. Every time I took the field, I felt a little closer to her, and I tried to carry a little piece of her with me on this journey. I can only hope she enjoyed as much as I did.

With all that said, it is time to figure out who Lauren is without softball??? Hopefully a really good dentist.

Thanks for everything, softball, you really were a great time!