Berkley Grad Loving Life as Michigan State Softball Player

Maureen Fernandez had visions of her daughter being a graceful figure skater.

Plans changed.

Her daughter was more interested in the “land” sports where she could be physical, aggressive and get dirty.

“My mom wanted me to be a delicate ice dancer, and I wasn’t having it,” Emma Fernandez said via phone from East Lansing. “I used to skate and hold on to the boards and cry because it was cold.”

The early conflict turned out OK in the end.

She had a successful softball career at and is now a member of the Michigan State University team.

“I think all parents think their children will follow exactly in your footsteps,” said Rick Fernandez, Maureen’s husband and Emma’s father. “You steer them toward the things you know, it’s a natural thing to do. As parents, we found out really quick that she was not fond of (skating).”

Maureen spent the bulk of her youth getting up at 5:30 a.m. to hit the ice for lessons. She kept it up until her early teen years.

Emma went to the rink for her open skating and lessons, but she was never hooked on the sport like her mom.

“She could skate well easily, but when we asked if she wanted to do more, she’d say, ‘No,’ ” her father said. “She started playing (Berkley) Moms Club softball probably as a fourth- or fifth-grader. As soon as she started playing, she really enjoyed it.”

Emma’s love for the game helped her earn scholarship dollars to cover her book expenses this year while she studies kinesiology at MSU. So far, she has a 4.0 cumulative grade-point average in her quest to become a physician’s assistant.

Her mom and dad have enjoyed the opportunity to make the 75-mile trip to sit in the bleachers and cheer on Emma and the Spartans.

“It’s just really cool,” Rick Fernandez said. “She had a goal that she set for herself, and to work that hard and see her achieve that goal is the coolest thing.

“If it had been any other school, the pride would still be there," he said. "It’s extra special that she’s following exactly in my footsteps.”

Rick Fernandez was a forward for the MSU ice hockey team that won the 1986 NCAA championship. He graduated in 1987.

A love for the Spartans is exactly why Emma decided ahead of time that she was going to Michigan State and no place else – even if it meant hanging up her cleats.

That’s the kind of thing that can happen when you grow up in a household that bleeds green.

“I was not trying to go anywhere else,” Emma said of her college choices. “I knew, even if I was not going to play softball, I was going to come here. Playing softball here is just icing on the cake.”

While Emma has appeared in only one game as a pinch runner, the freshman utility player is still a valuable member of the Spartans’ team.

“Everybody needs walk-ons because you only have 12 scholarships, and you’ve got to have 18 to 20 kids, so right there, the math does not work,” said MSU head coach Jacquie Joseph, who is in her 18th season with the Spartans. “You are looking for somebody that is going to be more of an addition instead of a subtraction in terms of players understanding their roles.

“We’ve had plenty of walk-ons end up as (starting) players in the past," Joseph said. "It usually takes them a couple of years to figure it all out, but Emma’s just like a perfect role player. She’s good in these regards: She understands and accepts her role, she’s selfless in she helps other players get better, she gets great grades and has an undying love for Michigan State. Those are all qualities that are not easily found.”

Sure, going from being a game contributor all the time to sitting on the bench is an adjustment, but it’s one Emma is willing to make.

“I’m learning so much, it’s not like I’m upset about it,” said Emma, a member of the Berkley Class of 2010. “I know every single day, I keep getting better, and that’s all that matters.”

Emma spent four years playing softball for the Berkley High team. She played competitive travel ball for the Michigan Outlaws in the fall and summer.

She also spent time playing recreational basketball and volleyball – mainly to stay in shape and pass the time before she had to get serious playing softball.

“Emma was a great player to coach and to have on our team last season,” said Berkley softball coach Ken DePerro, who is in his second season with the Bears.

“Some of the things that made her special to me were her dedication, work ethic and love of the game," he said. "She played hard and practiced the same way. She loved to hit and work on her hitting. She was a fine representative of the school, the community and our program. She was a role model to the young girls in the Moms Club program and a settling influence for the younger players on our team.”

Emma's younger brother, Dugan, is a sophomore on the Bears varsity baseball team.

Dugan's goal is to follow in his sister’s footsteps – by playing for the Spartans in the future.

“He wants to come to State, too,” Emma said. “He comes up and visits all the time and thinks it’s so cool, and he sees how much fun I’m having here.”