Capuchino Softball Player Reaches Dream of Playing in College

For Rick Wassmer, the conclusion of the conversation was all he needed to hear.

He knew his daughter had accomplished her dream.

“I remember I was upstairs when she got the phone call and I heard the tail-end of it,” Rick said. “She’s just going, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe it. Thank you very much.’ She was just so excited.”

On July 28, senior Ariana Wassmer, 17, committed to play college softball at California State University Northridge in Southern California, adding a new chapter to what has been a nearly decade-long journey that has brought the Wassmer family closer through the years.

Life Father, Like Daughter

Ariana, who transferred to Capuchino after spending her freshman and sophomore years at Mercy High School in Burlingame, first stumbled upon her softball career at age 8. One of her pastimes became shagging balls for her father while he practiced with her older brother. It was at that point that Ariana developed an affinity for baseball and began to play organized softball in the San Bruno recreation league at age 9.

“My dad worked really hard with me every day as a nine year old and I loved it,” Ariana said about her softball beginnings. “I wanted to be out there, so it paid off in the end.”

Often times, when children begin a sport at a young age, parents have the tendency to become domineering during the process. But in Ariana’s case, her own passion drove her to love and practice the sport and not just the ambitions of her father.

“He never pushed me to go out there or do something that I didn’t want to do,” Ariana said of her father. “I always wanted to do it and he gave me that drive to do what I needed to do in order to be successful. He was a really good role model and he taught me a lot.”

From Rick’s point of view, there were occasions during Ariana’s adolescent career where he felt a bit of tough love was necessary.

But he also made it a point not to go overboard, namely because it was not the coaching aspect that he enjoyed as much as simply maintaining a bond with his daughter.

“For me, just going out there and spending the time with her was more important than the workouts,” Rick said. “That’s how I felt. You’re still working out and trying to get your work in, but just spending that quality time with your kid, I’m going to miss it.”

Glove at First Sight

As Ariana became more involved in the sport, she was afforded the opportunity of traveling cross-country on the Amatuer Athletic Union/Club circuit.

Ariana played for several teams and her destinations included Texas, Illinois, Indiana, South Dakota and Colorado, among others.

But for her, the most important trip was one that took place in state.

Earlier this summer, Ariana, who plays second and third base, as well as pitcher, was invited to attend the Cal State Northridge Showcase Camp on July 11.

And according to Ariana, it was glove at first sight.

“When I stepped on campus, I knew that was the school for me,” she said. “It was so nice and when I met the coaches, they were so nice and energetic while we were at the camp. They taught me a lot in such a little time.”

“When she got on the Northridge campus, that was it, she was done,” said Rick about his daughter’s reaction. “That’s all she talked about on the way home.”

That weekend, from July 15-17, coaches from Cal State Northridge, a Division I softball school, came to see Ariana participate in a Huntington Beach softball tournament.

Less than two weeks later, the phone rang and Ariana was asked to commit.

“I just really wanted to play D-I college softball,” said Ariana, who was also being recruited by several small schools on the East Coast. “I didn’t mind going out of state but I’m really happy that in the end, I got to stay in state.”

Away From Home, Not From Family

And like any set of parents, Ariana’s mother and father were just as happy that their daughter would only be a short flight away, although dad may have coped with it a little better than mom.

“I didn’t want her to be that far,” said Maria Wassmer, Ariana’s mother. “I wanted her to stay close to home so we could still watch her play because we love watching her play. And I also wanted her to go to a school where it was a good fit for her both academically and athletically.”

Also there to help ease the Wassmers' anxiety child left home is the fact that Ariana’s 19-year old brother, Rick Jr., will be heading into his junior year at the University of Southern California, 20 minutes away from Cal State Northridge.

“When she gave me a call and told me she committed to Northridge, I was really excited for her and really proud of her,” said Rick Jr. “She put in the work every day to better herself in the sport and I’m ecstatic that she’s going to be in Southern California. I’m going to try to make as many games as possible.”

As for her senior season at Capuchino High, Ariana and the Mustangs will be looking to defend their , an accomplishment only surpassed by her commitment to Cal State Northridge.

“She deserves it because there are kids out there that are really talented and have skills right off the bat,” her father said. “Ariana is a skilled player, but she had to work for it. And she worked hard for it.”