Thursday, March 27, 2025
Madisyn Birnel's softball career is proof that hard work and dedication pays off.
The Gatesville High School right fielder has been a top offensive threat for the Hornets this season, recently going 5-9 with seven runs scored in a tournament in Cleveland, OH.
Coach Andrea Holdbrook said she is impressed with Birnel's production so far this season.
“Madisyn is really lighting it up this year in her senior season,” Holdbrook said. “Her bat is on fire, and she is playing with a lot of confidence.”
Holdbrook said perhaps equally important to what she has contributed at the plate for Gatesville is the type of teammate she has become.
“Madi B is a true example of earning it the old-fashioned way,” she said. “She has worked her way up from JV to varsity in her time at Gatesville, and each year she continues to get better and better. She has always been a fun and easy-going kid, but her big personality mixed with this year’s confidence has added some extra magic to the team this season.”
Birnel, 17, said she is very happy with how she was playing early on this year and said a tournament victory to start the season really got her excited about what her team could accomplish in 2025.
“This year so far has been one of the best with the team going 5-0 this past weekend in the Harker Heights tournament, which was an amazing kick to start us off,” Birnel said on Saturday.
A two-sport athlete, Birnel also plays No. 1 girls doubles for the Hornets tennis program and said she has to stay on top of things to meet the expectations she sets for herself.
“For me, I have a schedule,” Birnel said. “For instance, I go to softball Mondays, tennis Tuesday and Wednesday, and then softball again Thursday. Fridays are for tennis tournaments. I just recently picked tennis up around December of 2024. I am still fairly new to it, but because of softball, I have definitely picked up some of the mechanics it takes to thrive through it.
“I do feel like tennis has helped me see the ball better and focus more on where to hit it because in tennis you have to do the exact same thing.”
Her passion for the sport of softball actually started in elementary school and when her family lived abroad.
“I lived in Italy for a time and I really wanted to play a sport,” Birnel said. “So, my mom and I went to an academy to see what sports were available, and softball was one of the first on the list. I was in fourth grade at the time, so it sparked some interest because the lady said her daughter played in college.
“When I first started to play, I was really good at it to where my coach even asked me to play for his own travel team with 12U girls. From then on, I just fell in love with a sport I was good at such a young age.”
Birnel said in softball the main thing she tries to bring to her team is competitiveness.
“With everything I do, I always make it into a competition with softball no matter what it is,” Birnel said. “Even in practice when we do drills or little competitions, I am always trying to be the best person on that field.”
The biggest challenge Birnel said she has faced in the sport at times is believing in herself.
“If you cannot believe in yourself, you will have no motivation, you will have hesitation and you will not perform up to the standards you know you can achieve,” Birnel said. “Confidence is also something you need in this sport just like any other. You need to believe that you will succeed, or you will set yourself up for failure. Every time I am up to bat or I see a ball coming my way I think of all the positive things that could happen, because I know if I think of every negative thing that could happen I am just setting myself up for failure in the long run.”
For Holdbrook, the 2025 season should be a very good one for her senior outfielder.
“The sky is the limit for Madisyn,” Holdbrook said. “I want her to keep climbing with no ceiling. I think Madi can be one of the best bats in our district, so I’d love nothing more than for her to earn some district awards as a senior.”
Birnel's Favorites
Favorite Athlete: Kobe Bryant
Favorite Sports team: Baylor Softball
Favorite Food: Cheeseburgers
Favorite Movie: “Earth to Echo”
Favorite TV Show: “Life Below Zero”
Book Currently Reading or Last Book Read: “It Ends With Us”
Favorite Musical Group or Performer: Billie Eilish
