UCLA softball coach Kelly Inouye-Perez found it hard to sum up how proud she was of her team this season.
The year came to an end with two losses in the Women’s College World Series to Oklahoma and Stanford. Still, it was a successful year for the Bruins.
Inouye-Perez had to give props to the opponent first before summing up her feelings.
“Just want to say, congratulate Stanford,” Inouye-Perez said. “They’re tough. Although we got them in the regular season, that weekend was a turning point for us where we knew we battled. But they’re tough. NiJaree is tough. They showed up and executed tonight. I wish them well as they represent the last of the Pac.
“I don’t even know how to sum up in a short opening statement of just how proud I am of this
team. I told them to keep it together (smiling). I’m just going to say this. I’m proud. Wow (tearing up). I’ve said this, I’ve never been so proud of a team. I’ve coached a long time. It was hard. This season was hard. Nobody expected us, I was telling the team, not even us, that we were going to get here.”
Inouye-Perez rebuilt UCLA to get back to this point, basically where the Bruins belong.
“Our coaches, our players, our staff, the support, the belief, the trust, the work to get us back here is something that I am proud of,” Inouye-Perez said. “I am proud. I’m more just emotional. I wasn’t even emotional when I was talking to the team. I was matter of fact, I’m proud of you. You can cry all you want, I’m proud of you.
“When I put it all together, this is the greatest year of coaching I’ve experienced. Man, building belief, building trust, building a team that could fight. We were right where we needed to be, and we ran out of time. But we were prepared.”
Inouye-Perez never lost belief in her squad throughout the entire postseason. Although the Bruins fell short, they had a championship mentality.
“I know that everyone knew at any moment this team could win a ballgame,” Inouye-Perez said. “I’m proud of my young pitching staff. I’m proud of Maya Brady. In February we looked at each other. It was like, Do you believe? We looked at each other with, Wow, is this really happening?
“To be able to be here today and have this opportunity to be able to have a conference at the World Series, I really say thank you to your leadership. As a player, she’s so much more than that. She goes down in history as literally the second most home runs in the history of UCLA. I’ve been there a long time. There’s been amazing athletes there. But she’s clearly a player, but her leadership is what she’s going to be remembered for.”
Inouye-Perez’s statement about Brady seemingly summed up the whole team as well.
“I built a relationship with her beyond the sport,” Inouye-Perez said. “I love you to death. I’m so proud of you. I can’t wait to see how your leadership has bled into the Bruins that are coming back. You loved them, kicked them in the butt, but you showed up and you got us here.
“Sorry that took so long. I can’t sum it up in one sentence just how proud I am of my team.”
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