Intro

Nia Trinidad: 00:00 – 00:22 

One of my players, they asked me. They were like, “Did you want to coach?” I went, “Not really.” I wasn’t in the mindset where I was going to be a college coach this year. I always loved coaching. I coached little kids and I did pitching lessons, but I never was like, “I’m gonna coach at SF State the year after I graduate.”

Gibran Beydoun: 00:27 – 0:50

Welcome back to The Chomp. My name is Gibran Beydoun and I’m the copy editor for the Golden Gate Xpress. Today, I’m joined by former athlete and current softball assistant head coach Nia Trinidad. Today, we’ll be going over several topics, including her background and history of softball, her collegiate career, her getting the call up for the assistant coach position here at SF State and then stuff she’s doing off the field. So let’s get started. 

Interview

Beydoun: 0:50 -1:02

I believe the first thing I have for you is kind of your background, because I know you’re from Rocklin, California and all that. Going off this, I’ll give you free space to answer, your background and also your history in the sport of softball.

Trinidad: 01:03 – 01:27

I’ve been playing softball since I was nine years old, and it’s definitely something that I’ve grown to love. I actually started playing softball because I was jealous that my brother was playing baseball and getting more attention than me. So I dropped the ballet shoes and went to softball and then never stopped. Growing up in Rocklin, I went to Whitney High, and we had a great four years over there.

1:27 – 1:47 

[I] was able to win a section title my junior year, and then, unfortunately, I graduated in 2020, so I didn’t get to play my senior year. But I had a great time. And then I ended up playing four years of college softball — two, over in Hawaii and two over here — and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Beydoun: 01:48 – 01:52

If you could recollect the moment, because you were a pitcher, right? So, picking up the glove, I guess you could say.

Trinidad: 01:53 – 02:15

I sort of always was a competitive kid. I had a younger brother, so I would always compete with him. Even if it wasn’t like a softball field, I would just play games with him and be that person. So when I stepped onto the field, I knew I wanted to be sort of always involved within the sport, and I was like, what better position to play than be a pitcher? 

02:15 – 02:43 

And I sort of always wanted to be part of a team where I can compete and help and be the person that people rely on and be able to get the job done. And so, I was always so passionate about being a great softball player. When I was like 10, 11 [years old], I would cry every time I struck out because I felt like I was letting my team down or something like that.

02:43-02:56

And it has always just been like a big part of my passion for the sport and being a naturally competitive person. I don’t think I’m ever going to stop being that person.

Beydoun: 02:57 –  03:07

Going off of the collegiate career, especially since I had this order. Let’s go with, you know, going from high school and then going into your two years at [University of] Hawai’i [at] Hilo, I think it’s pronounced.

Trinidad: 03:08 – 03:41

Hilo was definitely a shape-shifting moment for me. I thought that I was going to be a computer science major, study for years at Hawai’i, and [I] finished my time there and found out that wasn’t for me. STEM wasn’t for me. I completely changed paths, went into communications over here, but I went through a lot of negatives. I [have] really taken the positive relationships that I have grown from University of [Hawai’i at] Hilo. 

03:41 – 04:03

There are friends that I’ve made through that team. I had one friend that played at [California State University] Dominguez Hills and we transferred around the same time and we’re still in great contact. I texted her the other day asking her about pitching because she throws like one of the freshmen throws over here. So I am really grateful for my time over there. It’s a beautiful place. It’s a beautiful school. 

04:03 – 04:13

It just wasn’t my particular fit. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. But I’m definitely grateful for the experience that I had over there.

Beydoun: 04:13 – 04:16 

Then how did Coach Alicia recruit you to come to SF State?

Trinidad: 04:17 – 04:38

Alicia knew me in high school. We had conversations in high school. [It] just didn’t end up working out when it came down to what she needed at that specific time. Then I did one semester where I just did school at a junior college, and I was like, “Okay, I think I’m ready to play again.” “I think I want to go back.” And I reached out to a bunch of coaches that were nearby. 

04:38 – 05:05

And, I mean I grew up sort of living over here in Daly City, too, because my grandparents live here. And I was like, “Why not reach out to SF State again? See if they need me this time around.” And they ended up needing me, got that call, went on a visit late July of 2023 and was able to sign there. And I was very, very happy when I got that call to be able to play again. That was exciting.

Beydoun: 05:06 – 05:12

How did it feel to come back to your home state of California, to play softball and then to play here as a Gator?

Trinidad: 05:13 – 05:32

I mean, I was so grateful to come back and play in California, with my family being over in Rocklin. They’re a quick two-hour drive away from all my games, so they were able to show up to all [of] the close games, all the home games, going to Sonoma [State University], going to [California State University] East Bay. 

05:32 – 05:58 

They were always there, and it’s always nice to see a familiar face in the stands, especially when two years ago, I was playing on an island where you’d have to take a six-hour flight for them to be able to see me. That was with COVID restrictions and all of that, so it was even harder for them to see me. So being able to be close by, just in case I did need them, was a great thing that I got to have playing here as a Gator. 

05:58 – 06:03 

And I love wearing purple and playing for this team.

Beydoun: 06:03 – 06:20

Going into coming back post-collegiate athletic career as an assistant coach with Kai, take me behind the scenes of the — maybe the call up, I guess you can say, by Coach Alicia [Reid] to recruit you guys — you girls, sorry, as assistant coaches.

Trinidad: 06:21 – 06:47

Me and Kai, we’ve always sort of known each other. Even before we played at SF State — our first actual in-person meeting — I hit her in the arm during an SF State camp. So I was like, “Sorry.” And she wasn’t very excited for me to join the team at first, but she warmed up to me pretty quickly. But this past summer in July, she called me and was like, “What are you doing? I know you’re still in town… 

06:47 – 07:10

I was wondering if you wanted to come coach our team.” Because I knew our assistant coach, Coach Kinsey [McKinsey Thorpe]. Love her. She’s doing great. She’s a head coach now, but she left. And so, that was a spot that was open for somebody. And then getting that call, I was like, “Sure. I’m not doing anything. I guess I might as well find something to fill my time.” 

07:10 – 07:27

And it’s always great to be around the game again and around the field. And I, obviously, instantly texted Kai. I was like, “So are you gonna take it? Because if you take it, I’ll take it.” And she was like, “Yeah, I’ll take it.” And so, we both had that conversation and we were excited.

Beydoun 07:28 – 07:30 

And it’s like, “If you go, I go.”

Trinidad: 07:31 – 07:59

Exactly. I was like, “I’m not gonna do it by myself. But if you do it, then maybe I’ll think about it.” So that’s how we are. I mean, the girls know that. We have teammates that we played with still on the team. And so we knew that it was going to be a weird, not weird, but almost like we have this dynamic where we’re their coaches and also we played with them last year and we’re still friends and we joke around and I think that’s great for our team culture. 

07:59 – 08:22 

Me and Kai are sort of very like-minded. And Alicia, we all [are] sort of like-minded when it comes to our competitiveness and being great on the field and being great, like watching film and doing all the little things. So we’re very similar in that mindset. But also we bring different things to the table, which is hopefully good for this team. We’ll find out soon.

Beydoun: 08:23 – 08:30

I was just gonna say, I guess you can say, the teamwork with Kai, both of you girls as assistant coaches, if you don’t mind that a little bit more into that.

Trinidad: 08:31 – 09:03

Yeah. I mean, me and Kai were sort of just — We’re like two well-oiled machines, basically. She was an infielder, and then I was a pitcher and an outfielder. So we were able to fill those spots where if the girls have questions on certain things that happen within our play scheme and within how we play softball, we are good resources for them to ask questions and be able to feel comfortable doing that. 

09:03 – 09:23

Because we were doing that literally last year. And like, Kai, I’m gonna gas her up a little bit, Kai is probably the best example of Gator softball that you could probably see. If you Google “Gator softball,” it’s probably Kai’s face up there on the first three scrolls, but she’s definitely someone that’s easy to work with. 

09:23 – 09:49

And we all are bringing things to the table like, “Oh, like we want our outfield to be like this, this and this,” and “We want our lefty hitters to be this, this and this.” And you can look at me and Kai and be like, “Okay.” Like they’ve seen it be successful. And they  want to listen, like, we want to learn from those people. And so it’s very fun and we’re having a lot of fun. 

Beydoun: 9:49 – 10:00

Well, if there’s anything that’s maybe new to you now as an assistant coach that maybe you didn’t really learn or know, like seeing [through] a different lens or something completely new as an assistant coach compared to your time as an athlete?

Trinidad: 10:01 – 10:30

Right. I think the biggest change that I have felt going from player to coach is I have almost taken like a step back because I feel like as a player, I always took on leadership roles where I wanted to be involved, team culture and being the person that underclassmen will look up to. But I don’t have to do that right now. I want our upperclassmen to lead our team. 

10:30 – 11:00

I don’t want to be having to make the inspirational quotes and messages that I had to do in the beginning of every single game that I did last year. I sort of take a step back and like this. I give it to my old teammates, my friends and [be] like, “This is your team, you could lead this team.”  Me, Kai and Reid, we’re going to give you all the tools and all the practice that we can to make you guys successful. 

11:01 – 11:20 

But at the end of the day, you guys control the culture and the leadership. And that’s something that I find myself wanting to get in a huddle. I’m like, “Wait, I’m not – I’m gonna go sit down and go turn on the GoPro or something. I don’t need to be in this huddle,” like they got this. And that’s always exciting to see.

Beydoun: 11:21 – 11:31

And the culture is a big thing, especially in sports. Not just in terms of on the field, but also the way you represent the schools, or like if you’re professional, obviously the city you represent in a way, right?

Trinidad: 11:32 – 11:58 

Yeah, our culture was what I loved about our team last year. And you could see that it was successful with the season that we had last year. So having that to look at, but also move on past because it’s a completely new team with a bunch of young girls. So hoping that we not only carry on a good winning culture, but they only find their own self-identity within that too.

Beydoun: 11:59 – 12:16

Yeah, because in a way it’s like a new chapter, a new page, you know, technically a new team because, you know, some returners, but you also got a lot of new faces in there. And the winning culture can be something to kind of look back on, but it’s not, it’s not something to fully hold on to too much in a way.

Trinidad: 12:17 – 12:39

Right. I think it’s unfair to compare anyone to last year’s team or the team before, I mean, it’s a team of completely new girls. We have, I want to say six returners. And so that’s obviously not our last year’s team. And I think I’m sort of like, “Who cares?” I think we could be great within what we have now, too. 

12:39 – 12:51

And we have a bunch of hungry players that want to be successful and want, at the end of the day, to win a championship. So if they’re here to do that and they have that mindset, they’re at the right program.

Beydoun: 12:52 – 13:02  

Plus, the other thing I should have said is, in a way, they could see what’s possible, you know, like “You could actually go the distance.” Especially starting from the ground up, in a way.

Trinidad: 13:03 – 13:34

Right. And all of our seniors were starters last year in the original championship team. And, we had a senior transfer from Sonoma [State] who’s been right there with us in playoffs competing against us. And so it’s good to have that leadership. I’m excited to see what they do. It’s like we’ve been putting in a lot of work. We’re about to end our 20-hour weeks and hopefully we have done as much as we can.

13:34 – 13:57 

And, obviously, we ought to keep working on it in season, but it’s exciting to see because we had great success last year and we have a lot of hopes for this team this year. Even though it’s completely a new team, we’re building something that’s going to be successful in my head.

Beydoun: 13:58 – 14:05

Going off of – going from athlete to coach, maybe how Coach Alicia is helping with that sort of transition?

Trinidad: 14:06 – 14:34

I mean, it’s definitely a weird transition. We’re here so early and I always knew, like I was always very respectful of the things that my coaches did. Like, our coaches would wash our laundry and do that stuff. And now I’m washing our team’s laundry and things like that. They’re setting up the field before practice, before games, before scrimmages, and I’ve never been one to take advantage of people’s kindness. 

14:34 – 15:03 

I’ve always been very appreciative of that. I think the biggest transition for me is like my email is constantly blowing up with girls who want to go to this school and saying no or saying like, “Oh, this girl probably isn’t the greatest fit for our team,” or saying yes and be like, “Oh, we got a recruit onto the team. We have to meet their family. We have to make sure that this is where they want to be for four years” is definitely the biggest transition. 

15:03 – 15:37

I think the first weekend we, me and Kai, had to listen to a recruit call with [Reid]. And, obviously, we’ve been on the other side of the recruit call with Alicia where we’re like, “Yes, please.” Like, “I want to go to this school. I would love to visit” and whatever, but there’s so much behind the scenes that goes on with trying to build this team and continue its legacy, and definitely trying to all work together as three heads, trying to build a great team is something that she’s definitely helped me with. 

15:37 – 16:04

And, I haven’t gone yet, but Kai’s gone to recruiting tournaments and stuff. And we’re here for the prospect camps that we host on campus, and we’re all going on a coaches trip to Southern California soon to try to recruit some players. So that’s definitely going to be something that we’re going to go headfirst in and ask her for help later. She’s very, very involved. She eats, sleeps, breathes gator softball. That’s all you can ask for to coach.

Beydoun: 16:05 – 16:11

Very true, very true. Going off of softball. Your favorite moment as a Gator?

Trinidad: 16:12 – 16:48

Okay. This one is sort of random, because I feel like the normal answer would be going to playoffs and going to hosting the regionals. But I mean I got hurt that season in March, end of March. [I] got my MRI, they told me [I] tore my patellar tendon on April Fools Day. So I was like, “This is not a fun joke.” But my favorite moment actually was a midweek game where we played Hawaii Pacific, and I actually got to pitch one of that game. 

16:48 – 17:15

I don’t get started in many games. I was a relief pitcher, like that role with as much as I could. And I was like, “If you need me, I’ll throw,” like, “Whatever you need. I’m here.” And I had to throw the game and it was 0-0 until the sixth inning and they scored off of an error and a base hit, and I was like, “Darn it.” And then, at the end, I’m always one to fire up my team. 

17:15 – 17:42

So I was like, “Let’s go. Let’s win this here.” Like, “I’m not gonna throw a one-hit game and lose, guys” like, “We gotta get this done.” And one of my good friends, Rylee McDaniel, obviously she had a great season last year. Hits a walk-off home run to seal the deal for us. I was like, “Thank you so much.” I was, like, you could see me in the home run huddle, just like smacking her helmet so hard because I was so excited. 

17:42 – 18:08

But what made that game so special to me was I knew the HP coach personally, obviously, because when I played at Hilo, we were in like that weird COVID pod championship. So we played HPU and Chaminade 12 times each. So we got very familiar with them and she came up to me after the games and was like “How are you?” 

18:08 – 18:39

Like, “I hope you’re doing well. You look so much better. You look happy and you look like you’re having a great time here.” And that’s she’s like, “You’re looking great on the mound, but on the outside you’re also just you look better.” And that was like a very full circle moment for me because I sort of left Hilo with a lot of loose ends and like having someone from that time in my life be like, “I’m glad you’re doing great” and “You look great.” 

18:39 – 18:53

But it was probably a defining moment of my senior year, even though I got hurt like probably two days after. But definitely it was something that I keep with me at the end of my career.

Beydoun: 18:53 – 19:09

You and your teammates even last season were like cheering on each other, even from on the sidelines and everything. But now as assistant coach, you’re kind of, like, do you maybe try to be more calm, cool, collected when you’re out there? I guess reactive, I guess is the word. You know.

Trinidad: 19:09 – 19:48

I wish I could say yes, but me and Kai are so animated and anytime someone does anything good. We’re like off the bucket, hitting our clipboards. And we’re so excited. I’m never not gonna celebrate somebody’s success even when I’m their coach. Because I think a lot of the things that fired us up last year was when we would see Alicia get fired up. If someone would hit a 240-foot home run and she would be fired up at the third base coach box like that. 

19:48 – 20:15

Like, [it] instills something in you as a player because like, you know that your coaches care just as much. And I think with such a young team that we have right now, like me and Kai being super gusto and being who we were as players but now as coaches is sort of like, I hope, instilling confidence in them that they could be successful at this level…

20:15 – 20:44

…because I think if you have coaches that never cheer on your successes and are only negative towards you, that’s not going to build like a great athlete. Like I am all about — if my pitcher throws a great pitch, cheering that on, or if my outfielder makes a great catch, I’m going to get up and bang on the wall or something. Like it’s just exciting to celebrate that. And I don’t think I’ll stop unless I lose my voice or something like that. 

Beydoun: 20:45 – 20:54

Yeah, because I’ve also been curious about that. Not to say you have to be cold when you’re a coach. I just like wondering how you’re kind of maybe at least not as much or as often. You know what I mean?

Trinidad: 20:55 – 21:18

Right. Like, definitely. Because if something exciting happens, I’m gonna cheer, but obviously, like, then I’m gonna go sit down and write something down in my notes just to see what happened. But I think, yeah, there’s not much that can change except we’re in the dugout cheering instead of on the field. So yeah, definitely not like leading cheers in the dugout anymore. 

21:18 – 21:50  

But [if] they have a question about it, they’ll probably ask me. But the slight step back but definitely not losing that fire. I mean, we got to play slow pitch with that team during Fleet Week. So me and Kai were on the same team. And so they got to feel it, like feel me and Kai’s energy right next to them instead of in the dugout, which is also fun. So definitely, I don’t know if we’re like, physically able to to completely hold it back or settle it down.

Beydoun: 21:51 – 22:01

Fair. But now this team, especially with this, with returning players being seniors, it’s just like Ashley [Rocha] and Marissa [Jordan]. Am I forgetting a few? I know a couple of —

Trinidad: 22:02 – 22:06

Shaughnessy and the senior transfer from Sonoma, Taylor Rapp.

Beydoun: 22:07 – 22:25 

I saw that, yeah, from Sonoma State. Yes. Yeah. Like them — because my question was like, at least for the returning gators, them stepping up to be [in] more leadership roles as seniors for a team, especially for new players, the transfers, the freshmen and all that. How are you feeling about the group this year?

Trinidad: 22:26 – 22:49

Yeah, I mean, last year, Shaughnessy already took sort of that leadership role, alongside our seniors. And she was always a voice that is respected. You see a person who works hard on the field, in the classroom, in the weight room and you’re like, “Yeah, I’m gonna listen to what this person says.” And so she was that person as a sophomore, as a junior and obviously now the senior. 

22:49 – 23:19

And like Marissa and “‘Roch” [Rocha], they were two starters that got to experience the full season as a Gator. And Marissa’s been here for four years. And she’s also known what we need to do to be successful. They all bring in different pieces of leadership and I’m very proud of the different ways that they step in and lead this team. Even Taylor [Rapp], she played so much for Sonoma. 

23:19 – 23:43 

She was one of their starting catchers. And she definitely brings in an outside looking-in view of who we were as a team last year and how you want your teammates to be at the college level. I mean, we have I want to say 11 freshmen. And so, sometimes, it feels like you’re herding cats with those 11. 

23:43 – 24:17  

But we have good leadership up at the top where it’s like they’re setting a standard where we want to be here, and we need to be able to put the work in to be able to be here, because it’s not going to come easily to us. At the end of the day, like college, everyone was good. Like, if you were playing in college, you were probably good in travel ball and now you have to work again. You’re gonna start from zero again and setting in that mindset of being competitive now. 

24:17 – 24:50

But then, our seniors and with them being like, “We got to step it up today” or “Let’s talk more.” “Let’s have this energy” like “Let’s lift more weight in the weight room.” “Let’s put another 10 pounds on us” is something that’s very instrumental in building a competitive team culture for us. And I think we’re at that point where everyone’s sort of pushing each other to be better, and now we’re trying to tweak small little things where at the beginning of August, or at the end of August…

24:50 – 25:26 

…this season, we were like, “Oh, wow. We’re a young team,” obviously. And it was just like, we’re gonna have room for error and room to work. And now we’re seeing all the work that they’re putting in within the younger kids and within upperclassmen to become like a well-meshed, well-oiled machine team to hopefully be successful in the spring. I think our seniors are doing a great job in being good role models for our team, even our other upperclassmen. 

25:26 – 25:52 

We have two juniors who both transferred in from the University of Pacific and Academy of Art. And obviously, they’ve seen different things within their other teams and they’re going to bring new perspectives. And I think that’s super important with our young team and even our sophomores, Kate Nelson and [Kharime Caratachea] “Mims,” they both got opportunities to play last year. 

25:52 – 26:23 

And so, they bring in Gator softball perspective. “Mims” was an instrumental part of our relief pitching last year. And so having her as our now-upperclassmen pitcher with three freshman pitchers is a good thing to have because she works hard. I know that she wants to win. And so, having that mindset for our entire team is very important. And I think we have that.

Beydoun: 26:24 – 26:37 

Because I know you guys just concluded your fall games, your fall preseason games, I guess you can say, but especially most recently in the beginning of the month. What’d you say you’re seeing from the group so far? And how do you feel about them heading into the spring?

Trinidad: 26:38 – 27:08

I think our team is competing at the level that we want to compete at. We’re hitting the ball very hard and that’s always great to see. You always want to see good offense early, especially from the young kids who are getting their first college hacks, like seeing these young 18 year olds go up to the plate and take confident hacks means we’re doing our job over here and they’re being successful. 

27:08 – 27:39

We finished out our fall with, I want to say, 20-ish runs and only giving up three. And so that’s great no matter who we’re playing. I mean, it’s hard to hold any college team [of] whatever level to only three runs in 14 innings. So I’m very excited to see success on both sides of the field and I’m excited to see what we do within conference. I mean, everyone [is] sort of in the same boat. 

27:39 – 28:18 

A lot of people, a lot of great teams lost upperclassmen that helped shape their team. And now a lot of teams have these new faces, and we’re going to see how it all plays out within the spring. Because the CCAA, if there’s one thing about it, it’s competitive. And we’re going to have brutal 28-inning weekends every single time we play. So hopefully, I think I have the best outlook when it comes to this team and hoping for their success, because they’ve shown a lot of great things early within the season. 

28:18 – 28:37 

And, obviously, there’s things, those small things, that we need to work on and that’s fine. I don’t ever expect a player to be perfect. I think that would be unfair for any player. And as long as we’re making our forward progress and we’re making our adjustments, I think we’re going to be just fine.

Beydoun: 28:38 – 28:59

It’s in a way the preseason games can serve a glimpse of — I know, like you said, you know, the little things to work on. It gives you a preview, ahead of the season, like you’re doing great here. But maybe a little bit of work on this. So, at least now you see the live action, I guess you can say, a preview, blueprint, of what’s to come next season.

Trinidad: 28:59 – 29:22

We scrimmage each other every Friday, but it’s always important for us to see how we look against another team who doesn’t know our plays and who doesn’t know how we run our defense, because they realized that we drill all these drills over and over again, and then when it happens in the game, they’re like, “Oh, wow, that makes sense, like, why we practice that all the time.” 

29:22 – 29:51

And now, seeing the small mistakes and watching film and seeing those mistakes. It might seem embarrassing for some of the players, but we, at the end of the day, just want to be a successful team that understands that we like what we’re trying to lead to. If we talk about rowing the boat in the same direction, and that can only happen if we continue to adjust the small things and continue to move in a way that is successful for the whole team.

Beydoun: 29:52 – 30:05

Because you were a communications major, I believe. You were a communications graduate. I saw that you did some positions for professional sports. I’m curious, if you don’t mind talking about what you’re doing postgraduate off the field?

Trinidad: 30:05 – 30:30

I mean, I’m a communications major, so I’ve just been trying to figure out what I want to do with it, to be completely honest. I’ve had the just normal customer service job with the [San Francisco] 49ers, which is a cool experience. Get to work the Super Bowl this year and make those connections. But right now, I’m just trying to utilize my network and figure out where I want to go and what I want to do. 

30:30 – 31:12 

I’ve always had this inkling to want to work in sports. Being an athlete and also my uncle was a radio engineer for Oakland, so he worked for the A’s and the Warriors and the Raiders, who are all not in Oakland anymore. But I, sort of, grew up with that in my life. And I got to work with a bunch of collegiate baseball teams for the past two summers, and meeting those players, meeting those coaches has always been very, not always been, has been very instrumental in what I want to do because I’ve had a lot of passion for doing things that I’m passionate about…

31:12 – 31:42

… but also trying to make a living because, at the end of the day, I want to be within digital marketing. So I want to do video and photography, but also I want to be able to not hate my job at the end of the day. So I’m trying to just get my foot in the door right now, and I’m working what seems like five million jobs to try and be successful, applying for five million more. 

31:42 – 31:56 

But, definitely, this takes a lot of time out of my day, and being able to still work with athletes is definitely important. And I think about what I want to do as a human being. 

Beydoun: 31:57 – 32:19

And then this is — thankfully, you mentioned the photo, videos because that was one thing that I forgot to list, like, I noticed the Instagram for softball has definitely more reels, more than I’ve seen in past years. I had to double check. Like, this is much more than within the time frame, I guess you could say. If you don’t mind taking me behind the scenes of that. At least talking about that.

Trinidad: 32:20 – 32:42

Yeah. I sort of knew — I was like, “I’m going to take advantage of this opportunity as much as I can.” And, Alicia was like, “If you want to do media for our team, you’re more than welcome too.” I went “Sure.” And so I put out videos for our weight room, and actually, I helped one of our seniors, Shaughnessy, with her NIL stuff and her early videos. 

32:42 – 33:20  

And so that’s always a good portfolio thing for me. And [I] just take photos every once in a while during practice just to make sure I still can do it. It is always important, but I think I’m just throwing myself into the fire because I’ve always done it since 2019. I’ve always been in sports working photo, video and graphic design because my high school — shout out Whitney High School — We have such a great graphic design program, and I was able to document my entire senior year through social media before it was a big thing to do that. 

33:20 – 33:47

And so, now I’m so into that, that I can’t ever escape it. And me and Kai were like, “We’re gonna have the best Instagram page ever.” “If there’s one thing we do, we’re gonna have the best social media.” So that’s what we’re trying to do. I mean, one of our reels has gone viral with like 2,000 views. And so I was like, this is so random. Like “What?” “Why are people watching this video in particular?”

Beydoun: 33:48 – 34:05 

At least it makes the softball account more active. You’ve definitely got the engagement, and like you said, the view count’s right up there. And then with your sports, it’s also making sure you’re kind of in tune with it, the stuff you do outside of the field, just making sure you’re still in tune with that and keeping in practice.

Trinidad: 34:06 – 34:29  

Right. What was it? One of my players, they asked me. They were like, “Did you want to coach?” I went, “Not really.” Like I was like I wasn’t in the mindset where I was going to be a college coach this year. I always loved coaching. I coached little kids and I did pitching lessons, but I never was like, “I’m gonna coach at SF State the year after I graduate.” 

34:29 – 35:03 

I thought I was gonna go and explore digital marketing and explore that part of my life. But then I got this opportunity and was able to combine playing softball, my experience in softball and having fun marketing this very charismatic team. At the end of the day, they’re all a bunch of personalities. And so having the opportunity to combine a lot of the aspects of my identity and in my life has been really cool to experience like this these past few months.

Beydoun: 35:04 – 35:05 

Any final words? Any final thoughts?

Trinidad: 35:06 – 35:24

No, except I hope everyone comes out to a softball game this year. We play starting in February, I think. But, we’re gonna have fun. We have a lot of fun all the time. We play every Friday and Saturday for the most part, so I hope to see more Gators out at the softball field. 

35:24 – 35:45

Definitely come and support your female athletes and just your athletes on campus, because we got a good squad of them, even our volleyball team and our soccer team, and we’re all trying to be something within D-II sports. And being able to support female athletes is always a great thing to be a part of.

Beydoun: 35:46 – 35:47

Thank you so much for joining me, Nia.

Trinidad: 35:48 – 35:49

Yeah, thanks for having me.

Outro

Beydoun 35:50 – 35:52

This has been the Chomp with Gibran Beydoun. Thank you for watching.