>> YOUR 2009 NATIONAL
CHAMPIONSHIP GOES TO THE
WASHINGTON HUSKIES.
THEY WIN THEIR FIRST NCAA
TITLE.
>> Reporter: WHEN THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
CLINCHED THE WORLD SERIES IN
OKLAHOMA CITY, ONE FAN FROM
OHIO TO NOTICE.>> IN 2009, WHEN
THEY WON THE GAME, I WENT OUT
TO OKLAHOMA CITY FOR THE
TOURNAMENT.
WHEN WE WENT TO VISIT THE FIELD,
THE CONFETTI WAS EVERYWHERE.
THERE WAS A PICTURE OF ME AND
MY TEAM STANDING IN FRONT OF
THE BRACKET AND LOOKING AT THE
PICTURE WASHINGTON IS RIGHT
ABOVE MY HEAD.>> TARAN ALEVELO
WAS ONLY 10 YEARS OLD.
>> I BECAME OBSESSED WITH HOW
THEY PLAY.
I SAID I WANTED TO BE HERE.
I WANTED TO HAVE PURPLE AND
GOLD CONFETTI COMEDOWN FOR ME.
>> Reporter: OF PHENOM, SHE
COMMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON DURING HER FRESHMAN
YEAR IN WASHINGTON AT -- IN
HIGH SCHOOL.
>> I KNEW THIS WAS HOME FOR ME.
I DIDN'T HAVE TO LOOK ANYWHERE
ELSE.
I KNEW THIS IS WHERE I WANTED
TO GO.>> Reporter: BY
COMMITTING SO YOUNG, SHE STILL
HAD FOUR SEASONS OF HIGH SCHOOL
BALL TO PLAY IN CARROLL, OHIO.
POPULATION 524.>> COMING FROM
COLUMBUS AND HEADING DOWN 33
TOWARDS KENTUCKY, THE -- IS
GOING TO BE THIS LITTLE GAS
STATION AND YOU WILL SEE A SIGN
THAT SAYS CAROL.
IT'S QUAINT.
IT'S HOME.
>> IT'S A REALLY SMALL TOWN.
SHE IS LIKE A STAR.
>> OUR SOFTBALL AND BASEBALL
FIELD ARE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH
OTHER.
PEOPLE WOULD STAND IN THE
MIDDLE OF OUR FIELDS AND WATCH
BOTH.>> SHE WAS TREMENDOUS.
SOMETIMES I WOULD WATCH THE
HIGH SCHOOL GAMES AND I WAS
EVEN NERVOUS FOR THE UMPIRE.
IF THE CATCHER MISSES US, THE
UMPIRE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO MOVE
OUT OF THE WAY.
SHE IS IN A LEAGUE OF HER OWN.
>> I WOULD NEVER CHANGE BEING
FROM A SMALL TOWN.
EVERYONE KNOWS EVERYONE.
EVERYONE IS IN EVERYONE'S
BUSINESS.>> IN A SMALL TOWN
WHEN YOU OR SOMEONE LIKE TARAN
ALEVELO, YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO
WANT YOU TO FAIL.
I THINK FOR HER IT WAS HARD.
>> WITH ALEVELO ON THE MOUND,
THE SCHOOL MADE IT TO THE
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
>> OUR TEAM WAS RARE.
EVERY PERSON ON THE TEAM WAS
GOOD.
EVERY YEAR REMITTED TO THE
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
>> Reporter: AND DURING THE
STATE FINAL GAME ON JUNE 4,
2015, SHE PITCHED HER TEAM INTO
THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE
FOURTH STRAIGHT YEAR.>> I DON'T
THINK ONE INDIVIDUAL PLAYER
GETS THE WHEN.
IT'S NOT A ONE-PERSON SPORT.
IT'S A TEAM SPORT.
AS A TEAM WE TIED THE RECORD.
>> Reporter: BUT AFTER
CELEBRATING THE VICTORY WITH
HER TEAM, JUST TWO DAYS BEFORE
THE STATE TITLE GAME, ALEVELO
FOUND HERSELF IN TREVOR.
-- FOUND HERSELF IN TROUBLE.
>> I WAS OVERWHELMED.
IT WAS MY BREAKING POINT.>>
Reporter: AFTER LEAVING THE
HIGH SCHOOL THE 18-YEAR-OLD
JOINED A AND ON A SHOPPING TRIP
TO A DEPARTMENT STORE.>> THE
NEXT THING I REALIZE AS I WAS
TALKING -- AS I WAS WALKING OUT
I WAS BEING STOPPED.
THEY WANTED TO LOOK AT MY
BACK.>> Reporter: INSIDE HER
BAG WAS $120 OF STOLEN
MERCHANDISE.>> I STARTED CRYING.
I SAID THERE GOES WASHINGTON.
THE IS MY DREAM.
>> Reporter: THAT NIGHT, SHE
WAS CITED BY THE TRUTH --
POLICE FOR THEFT AND WAS BANNED
FROM PITCHING IN THE
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
>> IT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE
WORST DAYS OF MY LIFE.
AND IT WAS LIKE STUPID.
UNNECESSARY.
AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHY I DID IT.
I AM EVERY STEREOTYPICAL PERSON
WHO THINKS THEY HAVE IT ALL AND
GETS TOO BIG FOR THEIR HEAD.
>> Reporter: EVEN WORSE,
ALEVELO HAD TO FACE THE FACT
THAT SHE MIGHT LOSE HER
SCHOLARSHIP TO THE UNIVERSITY
OF WASHINGTON.
>> THE NEXT DAY I WOKE UP I
CALLED THE COACH.
>> I GOT A CALL FROM HER .>> I
WAS EXPECTING TO CALL HER AND
HER ALREADY KNOW.
BUT SHE ANSWERED AND I REALIZE
SHE HAD NO IDEA.
>> SHE TOLD ME WHAT HAPPENED.
SHE'S IN TEARS AND DEVASTATED.
AND I'M THINKING HER BIGGEST
FEAR WAS BEING TOLD THAT YOU
WILL LOSE YOUR SCHOLARSHIP AND
THEY WON'T WANT YOU ANYMORE.
BUT WE KNOW HER AS A HUMAN AND
A PERSON.
AND YOU KNOW THAT SHE GOT
CAUGHT UP IN SOMETHING AND SHE
MADE A BAD CHOICE.
WE TOLD HER WE WERE SUPPORTING
HER.
AND I THINK THAT CHANGED HER
MIND SET.
>> WHEN SHE SAID THAT THEY
WOULD HANDLE IT, I CERTAINLY --
I SUDDENLY THOUGHT I WOULD BE
OKAY.
>> IT'S SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO
WORK ON.>> Reporter: ALEVELO
HAD THE SUPPORT OF THE COACH
AND THE HUSKIES BUT HER ROAD TO
SEATTLE WOULD BE ANYTHING BUT
EASY.
>> A STUPID SHOPLIFTING
INCIDENT, I BASICALLY HAD TO
WEAR IT.
I HAD TO DEAL WITH THE MEDIA, I
HAD TO DEAL WITH MY TEAM.>>
EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES.
A DUMB DECISION.
WE KNOW HER AND WE KNOW THAT
WASN'T HER.
>> THE ONES YOU MISS --
>> WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF
GROWING PEOPLE UP THROUGH A
SPORT.
AND THAT IS OUR JOB.
AND HOW DO WE NEED TO HELP
SOMEONE LIKE THIS.
WE WILL HELP HER.>> ALEVELO
WENT TO COURT AND PAID THE FINE
ASSOCIATED WITH HER INCIDENT.
SINCE MOVING FROM CAROL, OHIO,
TO -- SEATTLE, SHE HAS PROVEN
TO BE THE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
ON THE BEST TEAM IN THE
COUNTRY.
>> TARAN IS A VERY TALENTED
PITCHER.
HER STORY IS STILL LEFT TO BE
WRITTEN IN OUR PROGRAM.
SHE HAS DONE SO MUCH ALREADY.
SHE HAS ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH
ALREADY.
AND SHE KNOW SHE WANTS TO DO
MORE FOR THIS PROGRAM.
>> AND SHE DOES IT, 20 BATTERS
IN A ROW FOR TARAN ALEVELO.
>> I THINK I COME IN EVERY DAY
WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE OF
WANTING TO GET BETTER.
WHETHER WE ARE NUMBER ONE OR
25, I FEEL LIKE YOU STILL HAVE
TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
BUT IT DEFINITELY HAS A LOT
MORE PRESSURE BEING AT THE TOP.
BUT WE CAN HANDLE IT.>> THAT
WILL DO IT.>> I LEARNED -- I'M
REALLY RESILIENT.
I HAVE BEEN TESTED.
AND TESTED, AND TESTED, AND
TESTED OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND I AM STILL HERE.
I'M STILL PUSHING.
>> THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT IT,
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