Beyond the Box Score: U of L’s Molly Conrad

There are plenty of ways to evaluate a softball player. Batting average. Hits. RBI’s. Fielding percentage. Home runs. But as we all know, statistics only tell part of the story. They capture the raw data of a game, but they do very little to show us who athletes truly are and what they really bring to their team.

Statistics don’t tell you who’s picking up their teammates after a tough inning. They don’t tell you who notices when someone needs support, or who helps carry the physical, mental, and emotional weight of a team. They don’t highlight effort, attitude, work ethic, sportsmanship, or anything we typically consider of ‘high value.’

But these are the unrecorded contributions of the University of Lethbridge’s Molly Conrad. 

“Her influence reaches far beyond the stat sheet,” head coach Vince Olson said. “Beyond her performance, Molly’s positive attitude and constant encouragement elevate those around her, helping create a supportive and competitive team environment.”

Speak with Molly and it becomes clear that those qualities aren’t accidental. She brings intention to her contributions. She has spent a lot of time thinking about the kind of teammate she wants to be, and that starts with the perspective she brings to the game itself.

“I think the constant reiteration that ultimately, softball is just a game, and life will continue afterwards has kept my passion for being a good teammate burning,” she said.

It’s a simple statement, but it explains a lot about how Molly approaches softball. Winning matters. Competing matters. But neither changes how she sees herself or the people around her. That perspective allows her to celebrate the game for what first drew her to it: the people.

“It is [about] the connections that you’ve made throughout this game,” she said. “Reminding myself that everyone is here because they love playing the game, just as I do is important. Everyone is trying their best, and we are all playing for the Pronghorn family.”

That way of thinking influences the choices she makes every day. Rather than focusing only on her own performance, Molly looks for ways to help the people around her succeed. “There is no ‘I’ in ‘team’, so part of my game is sharing my knowledge with my teammates, offering encouragement, and support.” She applies that same mindset to her coaches – a member of the team a lot of players overlook. “I greatly appreciate the time and effort my coaches put into this program, so I try to find any way I can to lessen the loads on their plates.”

Those aren’t the contributions that appear in a box score, but they’re exactly the kind her coaches appreciate most. They describe Molly as someone who consistently treats teammates and coaches with respect, embraces whatever role the team needs, and competes with courage and toughness. “She brings a no-quit mentality to every practice and game,” Olson said. “She is willing to sacrifice for the success of the team and does whatever is needed to help the Pronghorns compete at a high level.”

Her positivity is another quality that comes up again and again. For Molly, though, positivity isn’t about ignoring adversity. It’s about creating an environment where people can play confidently, recover from mistakes, and continue supporting one another. “I truly believe that a team with a bad attitude will never be able to succeed,” she said. “It is incredibly difficult to be confident in your own game, without positivity and support from your team.”

She continued:

“Positivity is contagious; it only takes one occurrence to influence a team’s environment and I try to be one source of positivity.”

That outlook was tested at the end of last season. The Pronghorns entered championship weekend ranked second in the league but left without the result they had hoped for. Instead of dwelling on the disappointment, Molly used the experience as an opportunity to reflect on how she wanted to approach her second season.

“Understanding that I cannot control the weather, or the schedule, will remove any added tension, allowing me to focus entirely on the game at hand,” she said. “I am eager to hit the field this upcoming season, and remind the league that we are a competitive program hungry for a championship title.”

That perspective also helps her navigate the biggest moments in a game.

“High-pressure situations can be very challenging, but once again, reminding myself that softball truly is just a game that I love playing, can often dissipate the pressure surrounded by any situation,” she said. 

“Reminding myself that these situations are ones that I’ve dreamed of since I was a child, and that despite any outcome the sun will still rise the next day really helps to calm my nerves and remind me of my purpose.”

Listening to Molly, it’s easy to understand why her coaches believe her impact extends beyond statistics. They’re talking about someone who is intentional with her words, generous with her encouragement, and grounded enough to remember that a person’s value isn’t determined by their athletic performance. 

As Molly looks forward to her career with the Pronghorns, she is intentional in her values and hopes for the type of teammate she wants to be.

“The kind of athlete that I want to become, or more so the kind of athlete I want to be remembered as, is one who will be remembered for how they made people feel, and not just my athletic performance. As I continue my time here, I hope to become someone that others can look up to, and help my teammates understand that their value as a person is far greater than their athletic performance; that it does not define their worth.”