Haylie Cloud from Napa has adopted Jen McBain as her
”
mom
”
at Gavilan.
Gilroy – Haylie Cloud from Napa has adopted Jen McBain as her “mom” at Gavilan.
The moniker has stuck with McBain. And why not? McBain is a real mom with daughter Reyna Peoples who will turn age 5 on March 24.
McBain, at 26, is a mother, student and athlete with a part-time job.
“I’m not going to lie and say it’s been easy,” says the outgoing McBain, who grew up in Hollister and now lives in Gilroy. “It’s not a normal life but it works for me. It’s my normal life.”
McBain figures it’s her last chance to enjoy fast-pitch softball, where she pitched every inning for the Rams through the first 18 games of the season. She’s got her academics in order, maintaining a 3.2 grade point average as she works toward getting certified to teach pre-schoolers. She would like to go on to California State University-Monterey Bay to earn a teaching credential and eventually be an English instructor.
For now, McBain is making the best of her student-athlete experience. Her situation is far different than the majority of the other women on the team. And yet, teammate Tiffany McIntosh can relate. McIntosh has a three-year-old son.
“We’re the team moms,” McBain said. “We pack all the food for away games. Haylie Cloud first deemed me her ‘mom.’ It doesn’t bother me. I respond to it.”
And yet, 26-year-old single moms have a whole different set of priorities than 18- and 19-year-olds. Still, McBain is enjoying the experience.
“I love the game from a coaching and playing standpoint,” McBain said. “I love the girls on the team. I think Nikki (Dequin-Thompson) is one of the best coaches I’ve ever played for.”
It was Dequin-Thompson who came to 24-Hour Fitness during one of McBain’s workouts 1 1/2 years ago and talked her into playing again.
“She’s a really good person who works real hard and is a good role model for a lot of young people,” Dequin-Thompson said. “She’s definitely a leader on and off the field. I respect her for what she’s done, and I think her teammates respect her as well. She’s one of those players who never gives up no matter what.”
McBain had been away from the game for six years and plenty had changed in her life before she registered at Gavilan. After four years of junior varsity and varsity softball at San Benito, McBain went to Fresno City College in 1999. She played one year before injuring her shoulder. She figured her playing career was over.
She worked and coached for three years at Fowler High School. On March 3, 2005, her car was hit by a drunk driver. The injuries were life threatening.
“I was going to stay but I couldn’t coach because I didn’t have a car and couldn’t drive,” McBain said. “My friends drove me to the hospital when I had to go.”
On crutches, she went back to work as a bartender, but found the standing around tedious and painful. Her mom came to Fresno. They had a long talk. McBain decided to come back to the area in June 2005.
She slowly got her fitness back and played slow-pitch softball for a Hollister Recreation League team. She started working for her mother, Carol Lawless, who like her daughter is a single mom. McBain says her mom is her best friend, and has helped out a lot watching after Reyna.
But Reyna is a bundle of energy at many of her mother’s softball games when the youngster is not at school. Lawless and McBain’s stepfather are on hand, too, when time permits.
It’s a tough life but McBain perseveres. It beats last year when McBain enrolled at Gavilan and didn’t have enough credits to play softball. Thus, she sat on the bench and watched as the Rams endured a winless season.
Today, “mom” is out on the field leading by example.
