Tragedy won't derail Campos

Carl, 53, would play the role of catcher, and like every good one, he provided a security blanket. That's what made his death Friday all the more painful - Nina had suffered a loss far greater than anything she's ever experienced.

"I was in a state of numbness and not feeling much," the Aragon senior said. "But I know emotionally, he would want me to keep going. That's why I showed up for practice on Saturday morning. I felt it was the right thing to do and it would keep me busy instead of sitting at home and thinking about the situation every second."

The human spirit is strong, and you'd be hard-pressed to find someone with a bigger heart than Nina Campos. That's not hyperbole, that's fact. How else can you explain the success she's had the last two years in the circle against arguably the toughest softball competition in the entire Bay Area despite not having dominant stuff? At 5 foot 3 inches, Campos won't overpower elite hitters. With a strong, effective change-up, and a fastball that doesn't exactly scream blazing, Campos has to rely more on guts and guile than a golden arm - which is fine by her.

"I know I'm probably one of the smallest players out there, and I don't have much power," Campos said. "So I work around that and try to find other ways to get hitters out. I focus more on movement, preparation and the mental aspect of the game."

Aragon coach Dave Dimatteo has known Campos since she was 10. Three years ago, he was the coach for the frosh-soph squad when Campos started 27 of 29 games, showing remarkable poise and a precociousness belying her youth. Dimatteo knew from the moment he saw her that Campos was one tough cookie.

"She's got attitude when she's out there," he said. "There's a certain fire that other pitchers don't have, and I never have to worry because I have total confidence in her abilities."

Campos first started playing softball when she was 9. She played just about every position on the field, but didn't like any of them. One day, she asked her youth coach if she could try pitching, and the connection was immediate.

"I enjoy the pressure of being out there because it makes me perform better," Campos said. "I like the feeling of pitching and being able to get involved in every play. It's kind of indescribable. I can't get that same feeling playing any other position."

The Chico State-bound Campos improved to 3-1 by tossing a complete-game, five-hitter, with 10 strikeouts and no walks in the Dons' 3-1 win over Terra Nova last week. For her efforts, Campos is the San Mateo Daily Journal's Athlete of the Week.

Aragon is looking to do something that it hasn't done in recent memory - make the Central Coast Section playoffs. Before the season started, the Dons were plenty motivated to end the dry spell. Now, their inspirational drive takes on a whole new meaning. Two and a half years ago, when former Aragon hurler Cassie Batter was diagnosed with cancer, the team rallied around her as she successfully fought through the disease and showed you can never underestimate the heart of a champion. Tragedy has struck again, and Campos said there's no better way to keep Carl's legacy alive than to give it her all on the softball field. She'll be pitching for him, and inspired to go higher than she's ever been.

"One of the great things about my dad was he always believed in people," Campos said. "Whenever I got really down, he would always keep me going. He had a way of telling you that things were going to get better, and eventually, they always did."

Nina last talked to Carl on Wednesday, while she was driving to a function.

"Be careful out there," he said, "the roads are wet and it's dangerous."

Carl was looking over Nina then, and he's looking over her now. He'll be there forever in spirit, as proud as a father can be.