By Murray Gleffe

Correspondent

LEWISTON, NEW YORK – Jennifer Timm is not your average athlete.

As a freshman on the West De Pere softball team in 2012, she scored the winning run in the sectional finals to advance her team to state in Madison.

Over her four years, Timm helped the Phantoms win 60 games.

“I had amazing teammates and coaches at West De Pere,” said Timm about her time as a West De Pere softball player. “Coach Carrie Jones shaped me into the athlete I am today because she taught me to always envision success and work hard for it. My teammates were incredibly supportive of one other. Playing at Goodman Diamond (in Madison) is the crowning moment of my career. Yet, the best part about West De Pere softball is the community and the fans. They are supportive of everything. After we won that sectional final game, the bus driver took us around the roundabout on Grant St. about 30 times in celebration because he was just as excited as we were. Local businesses wished us well by posting signs outside of their store. Being an athlete at West De Pere was a privilege, and I would represent West De Pere all over again if I had the chance.”

Timm’s success came early in her high school career.

College coaches and scouts started taking notice by the time she was ready to make the next leap of faith and play Division I softball.      

“I decided to play softball at Niagara University after one visit during the fall of my senior year of high school,” Timm added.  “Prior to that, I spent years sending out emails and playing in front of college coaches. Recruiting is tough because you need a coach to want you, but you need to make sure the school is the right fit. I am forever grateful for Coach Puzan’s investment in me. Niagara University is a small, private college on the border of the United States and Canada. It’s a 12-plus hour drive from Green Bay. They compete in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, which competes with schools near New York City. I found it as a great opportunity to experience something new and travel all across the United States playing the sport I love.” 

A majority of the top performers in high school have a learning curve once they arrive on campus to begin their journey as a scholarship player.

Timm, however, hit the ground running by playing in 42 games as a freshman at Niagara.

She even connected on her first home versus Bowling Green.

The past couple of years have gotten even better for Timm, as she has molded herself into a starter and third-base magnet.

“Two years into playing Division I softball, I began to understand what it took to be a starter on a Division I roster,” Timm commented on her learning curve as an upper-classmen. “I knew I had to become the best softball player mentally and physically. I felt more confident in myself because I knew my coaches trusted my abilities.” 

School is difficult enough, but throw in being 800 miles away from home and playing a college sport, and one wonders how these young adults handle the rigor of things.

In Timm’s case, she was named to the all-academic MAAC team during the previous two years.

“I can’t thank the teachers and staff enough at West De Pere for a majority of my academic success at Niagara University,” added Timm. “It is there where I learned the skills needed to take on the college rigor. I continue to always put academics first. What has taken me to the top of my class at Niagara is the rapport I have with my professors. From there, I was able to join four highly recognized academic honor societies for education, history, economics and Catholic Universities. I have spent countless hours at the library. At one point, I spent 26 hours straight at the library, and I would never recommend anyone to ever do that (laughing).”

Despite playing softball and taking care of her strenuous academic duties, Timm still has had some free time to explore places in and around the campus of Niagara University.

“Niagara Falls/Lewiston is in an area with a ton of historical aspects,” Timm said. “The first time I saw the actual falls was the year they froze over. As you walk through the park to get to the falls, everything was ice. Niagara Falls is composed of three waterfalls: American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and Horseshoe Falls. The town of Lewiston is smaller than the city of Niagara Falls.” 

After college, Timm plans to make her way back to the Badger State and wants to help students advance in school and in life.

“In May 2019, I will be graduating with my bachelor of the arts degree in adolescence education 7-12 with a concentration in social studies,” Timm said about graduating from Niagara. “After college, I plan to return back to Wisconsin and will be looking for a high school teaching and coaching position.”