Varsity Vibe: Arkansas
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Varsity Vibe: Arkansas
One of the Best: Darby Burnett's Softball Journey | Varsity Vibe
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Bentonville pitcher Darby Burnett is about end her high school career with the Tigers and take the next step to the SEC and Texas A&M. The senior would love to end her time at Bentonville with another state championship.
She joined Alyssa Orange to talk about her softball journey, the recruiting process and the advice she would give to younger players who want to play at the next level.
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SPEAKER_00Thank you so much for joining us. I'm your host, Celissa Orange, and have another great conversation to share with you today with Bentonville Tigers pitcher Darby Burnett. You know, Darby's one of the most dominant pitchers in the state of Arkansas and really in the country in the class of 2026. She's going to play collegiate ball at Texas AM. And when she is in the circle and she is feeling it, she is hard to have success against. It was fun to be able to sit down and talk with her about her softball journey, what the recruiting process was like, and hoping she can end her career with the Bentonville Tigers with another state championship. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Bentonville Tigers pitcher Darby Burnett. You know, Darby, you're you're a senior right now with the Bentonville Tigers. You're about to take the next step and go play collegiate softball at Texas AM. But before we really touch on those things, when did softball start for you?
SPEAKER_01Um, I started playing T-ball around four and then just never really stopped. I just kept going through the steps and I play I've played with a lot of the Bentonville girls my whole life. So um me and Marissa actually started playing travel ball around the same time for the same team, I think, for like three or four years. And then I I moved around a lot for travel ball, and I kind of got led from dynamite to crush, and then so on and so forth, and I ended up on the athletics, and that's really when recruiting took off for me. Um it was it was such a weird process. I was I it was the summer after my freshman year, and it was like, oh wow, I've never been to like these big tournaments, at least it didn't feel like it, and I just I remember like the first time coaches coming, it was like so bizarre seeing them there, and I was like, How are these people regular people? Um yeah, yeah, so yeah, Anim was the first one to like consistently come watch and show interest, and that was just really special to me.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely. Uh going back to to the playing, um, you know, being a being a pitcher is so unique and not everyone can do it. I've tried broke too many windows at my parents' house, and then that that was done. What was it about becoming a pitcher that interests you early on? And then um you realized, hey, I I'm I'm pretty good at this, and I and I can really uh get get better at this.
SPEAKER_01I actually started as a catcher. So growing up and starting travel ball as a catcher. And one of my coaches was like, this was around COVID. I started in COVID. Um, he was like, you know, you should probably try pitching. I think you could be good at it. And I ended up taking lessons and switching teams, and I was like, this is fun, I like it. And then I moved to a serious team, and I he's my coach Joel Garcia, he actually said, You're becoming a pitcher and not just a thrower. And that was like when I started to think about playing in college.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. I mean, that that's a huge difference right there. And and then you really start to say, okay, now that I've got the rhythm down, now I can actually incorporate real pitches into uh what I'm doing. And so, how fun is that to learn a new pitch or to add a new skill to your toolbox as a pitcher in the circle?
SPEAKER_01It's definitely like it's hard, but it's really fun, and like learning how to manipulate the ball to get it to move how you want, and just really visualizing it is so important.
SPEAKER_00So do you have a favorite pitch?
SPEAKER_01Um I I like all of them, and my drop ball is probably my favorite, but I mean, whenever something's working, it's my favorite. Sure, that makes sense.
SPEAKER_00Is there a pitch that you want to still add uh to your arsenal?
SPEAKER_01Um not necessarily. I know a few plans when I get to AM that I'll probably add some, but right now I'm just cruising with what I got.
SPEAKER_00Cool, absolutely. What's it like being in the circle? And you talk about how you love it when things aren't working, right? And there's a there's an adrenaline rush and an excitement when you strike out a batter. Um, but how is that for you when you're in the circle and things are clicking and you're just in a rhythm? What is that feeling like?
SPEAKER_01Um, I feel like when I'm in the circle and I'm like really on, I don't necessarily look at my teammates as much. It's kind of like I'm having a conversation in my head. It's like a bullpen. Um, it's just me and my catcher, Aubrey, and we're just locked in and having the best time we can have with what's working.
SPEAKER_00Do you guys um call your pitches or does coach call your pitches? How does that relationship work with you guys?
SPEAKER_01Um, I usually call my own pitches. Recently I've had Coach Rilly call them more, but it's kind of a mix. I'll call some, he'll call some.
SPEAKER_00And so it really is you just trusting what you're feeling at that moment and what's working. Yeah. So let's go back to the recruiting and you talk about being at these big tournaments, and I and I know what that's like. There's a million teams, a million people, coaches everywhere. Um, and you said AM was one of the first teams that consistently uh came to see you and and and stayed in contact. Um, when you were thinking about playing, I mean that that's the biggest stage in in college athletics is playing in the ACC or in the SEC or one of the other Power Four conferences. Um, what was it then about AM outside of the fact that they constantly recruited you that you realized, hey, I I want to be an Aggie.
SPEAKER_01Honestly, it was Coach Hefley. I met him first. He's one of the assistant coaches. He's he's like a dad, he's just a big ball of energy, he's the fun uncle. And he convinced me and my coaches and my dad to help get me down for a camp. And that's when I got to meet Coach Ford, and she's just such a mama bear. I love her. Um, and it was just everything clicked when I was there, and it was like, wow, I feel great pitching, I feel like I'm getting great instruction, and they actually like want to converse with me. And it just was like, this is great. I love it here. And I got to explore campus, and it was just it didn't feel big. I know college station. Yeah, childfield is big. Yeah, it is. Um, but it felt like home, you know, the Metro clicks that Bitonville, Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers is, it just it felt like it does here.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. I think, yeah, I think college station, that college station Bryant area very similar to where it's a college town, uh, and it, but it's it's not too big, um, but not too small either. And and that's exciting, you know, when you think about what you can accomplish, I'm sure you're excited about the future. Uh, but the future for you is right now, and you guys are in the postseason. Um, what has this senior year been like for you, knowing it's your final one with Bentonville?
SPEAKER_01Um, it's definitely been different from past years. I've been talking with a few of our old seniors like Ryan Sanders and it's and Demi Donahoe. It's just been kind of eye-opening the transition, but the teams worked so hard this year, and like I said, it's just been different. I feel like we have a new head on our shoulders and we're just going for what we want.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and I know you're in the circle and having so much success, but how fun is it to watch your teammates hit so many home runs when you're in there and getting run support from them in the dugout? It's so much fun.
SPEAKER_01Honestly, it's a breath of fresh air, and it's like seeing all the young people hit home runs is so fun, like Aubrey and May. But then seeing Marissa hit home runs and Lana and Taylor, it's just and Violet, honestly, everybody hitting home runs is just so much fun and getting to celebrate at the plate is just awesome.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, and and it helps you with some run support in the circle as well. You you guys won a state championship a year ago um and the year before, and an opportunity now ahead of you. What how special would it be for you to end your final season as a Tiger in hot springs where they're gonna have the finals again this year?
SPEAKER_01It it would be the most special, honestly. We have big goals and big aspirations just to end as a end on a win. One team gets to end on a win. That's what Coach Early always says to us. And we just hope it's us, and that's all we can ask for.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Speaking of Coach Early, you know, what what has he done to help you in your career? What has he given you as a as a coach and a mentor?
SPEAKER_01Um, he's he's always put faith in me. He knows what I can handle freshman before freshman year, actually. Um, he got a lot of the incoming freshmen to come do weights. And that's when I really started to see development with myself at least, um, with throwing harder and just feeling stronger while playing softball. And he throughout the years, it's just gotten better. We focused on different things, and every preseason's different and just preparing for everything.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. And it's and it's gotta be um really, you know, exciting to be a part of a program that has put so many players ahead of you and they will after you um into collegiate softball and to watch your teammates ahead of you go play. How motivating was that for you throughout the years, and obviously as you're about to go to AM, but seeing so many of your teammates go play at the next level once their careers were over.
SPEAKER_01It's definitely inspiring. Having the eight seniors, my freshman year, all signed to play was just incredible. And they were such good, such great role models for us. And it, I think, really built the program from there, and that's why we are where we are today, is because Coach Hurley was able to develop them and set them as role models for everybody.
SPEAKER_00For you, last question: a piece of advice for players coming up who want to pitch or or want to play at the next level. What is some of your advice you would give some of these younger players who are behind you?
SPEAKER_01I would just fall in love with the work, fall in love with practice and learn how to be a great teammate. And I mean, being a great teammate is not always being their friend. You got to be able to push yourself and your teammates in order to win and to have fun.
SPEAKER_00Thank you so much for joining us on this conversation on Varsity Vibe. Really appreciate you listening in. And again, we're at the postseason now for baseball, softball, and soccer. So a lot of exciting action happening around the state of Arkansas. So to stay in the note, make sure to follow us on our social media platforms that is Instagram, X, TikTok, and Facebook. So much great content for you there as the spring sports wrap up their championships, heading to the state finals in Hot Springs, coming up Memorial Day weekend, as well as make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and wherever you get your playlist your podcasts, um, so you can listen to our varsity vibe podcast there and sign up for our newsletter at varsityvibearkansal.com. That comes to your inbox twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. Once again, thank you for joining us. I'm your host, Alyssa Orange, and I will see you next time.
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