The last five years of Moore League softball have been dominated by Millikan, and senior catcher Jocelyn Owen has been behind the plate for the Rams for most of this impressive run. She’s the type of kid who is always striving for more, which fits perfectly with the Rams’ approach.
“We never take a team for granted, we’re always trying to win,” Owen said. “It’s making sure that we’re never satisfied with where we are and we always want to do better. That’s how we’ve been able to be good.”
Owen was called up to Varsity as a freshman, and according to MaxPreps, is hitting .353 over the last three years. The senior had to grow up fast to lead Millikan from behind the plate, which also fits her mature personality.
“Part of being able to have fun is also winning or being good, and to do that you have to focus and be mature sometimes,” Owen said.
When Millikan beat Lakewood earlier this season, Owen and pitcher Lauren Cantwell both said that getting calls on the outside of the plate was key to the shutout win, and that was certainly influenced by Owen.
“I was able to start a relationship with the umpire so we were able to get more of those borderline calls which helped us a lot too,” Owen said.
“She’s like a calm competitor,” Millikan coach Michelle Lehr said. “She has evolved (while at Millikan) and she’s ready to go to college. I watch her everyday talk to coaches, umpires or her teammates in the dugout. She’s never yelling, she’s encouraging. They respect her a lot.”
We talked to Owen more about her leadership position as catcher and her future after Millikan.
Q: Are you originally from Long Beach?
A: Yes, I went to Emerson and Stanford… and played rec ball at Los Altos.
Q: Did you immediately like being a catcher with all the gear and responsibilities?
A: Yeah, I’ve always liked catching. I like being involved in every play. Even if I didn’t catch the pitch I knew what was coming… Catching, you have to know what you’re doing and have a high IQ. Learning how to catch while also learning the IQ was difficult at times. Like when you have runners on base and the ball is hit to the outfield, it’s about what base you soy and how you know what base to say. I’ve definitely grown a lot in that aspect.
Q: And that’s just scratching the surface, right?
A: It’s not just catching the ball, If your pitcher is struggling you have to calm her down and do your best to help her, We have a lot of leadership we have to do.
Q: Has it been difficult stepping into that role with this team?
A: No, we’re really close and we trust each other. A lot of us grew up together and played together since forever. So I feel like we’re friends more than we’re just teammates.
Q: That camaraderie really showed during the Lakewood games this year. Did you enjoy that rivalry?
A: It’s a lot of fun. My dad went to Millikan too, so he’s really big on the Lakewood Millikan rivalry. It’s a really fun atmosphere. I feel like I do better in those Lakewood games because I’m not thinking ahead, I’m in the moment and just trying to do a job.
Q: Are you excited to continue your athletic and academic career at Eastern Kentucky University with your former Rams teammate pitcher Victoria Byrum?
A: I always wanted a college town that has a football team, and when I visited it felt like that. It came quickly at the beginning of senior year. I want to major in forensic psychology and my favorite subject is math. I want to be a lawyer.
Q: Is there anyone you want to thank as your time at Millikan comes to an end?
A: I tend to struggle with the mental side just always being down on myself, or not giving myself enough credit at times. My parents (Tanya & Jim) and my brother (Landon), they’re always there for me hyping me up and encouraging me.
