Posted 06/20/16, 2:25 PM

(AM News Net) – Haylie McCleney, Alabama Softball center fielder who graduated this year has much to be proud of. McCleney has made it to the Women's College World Series and she has made the USA Softball national team. Recently, McCleney penned an open letter, explaining she has no regrets and what advice she would give to her younger self as she journeys through her softball career.

“Dear 12-year-old Haylie,” the letter begins. “You aren’t playing with your friends from school anymore and that’s okay. You will make new friends. It’s okay that you’re shy and you don’t want to take the next step on the next team. Do it anyway.”

McCleney continues, telling her younger self to go in the direction she wants to go in and to appreciate the help her parents gave her. She also stresses to choose which school she should play in carefully and for the right reasons.

“Take your time making your decision because it is the most important decision of your life,” McCleney’s letter says. “Make sure that school wants you for the right reasons”

McCleney also tells the importance of her teammates and how working hard to help them is still crucial.

“Put the team’s needs above your own,” she says. “It’s not about your batting average or RBIs or homeruns or postseason awards. These four years will be about your teammates and how you all made each other better.”

The letter goes on, and McCleney continues to summarize her thoughts and feelings of her younger self and the journey she has gone through in college.

“Leave your mark, not just on the field, as that will be long gone in a few years,” she writes to her senior-self. “But leave your mark in the hearts and souls of your teammates. If you can make them better people, that is way more valuable than any award. You might break records, but if that is your only focus, you are sure going to miss out on all this experience has to offer you. When it’s over, you’re going to remember the people, not your accolades.”

McCleney concludes with a note to her future self:

“Take these lessons with you and know that you can accomplish anything. Always remember that the best is yet to come. It’s not about the money and how big your house is and how nice your car is. It’s the PEOPLE you are around every single day. Go win an NPF championship and win a gold medal in 2020. Who says you can’t? Take it one day at a time and make the most of every day you are given. You can change the world.”

The letter can be read in full on FloSoftball.

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