Inouye-Perez played against Maureen Brady, a superstar pitcher at Fresno State in the 1990s who led the Bulldogs to two WCWS appearances and had 80 career wins. What stood out to Inouye-Perez from the very beginning - in addition to Brady's athletic ability - is not just the way the entire Brady family embraced UCLA, but the way Maya Brady learned the same work ethic and competitiveness that has become a trademark of the Brady family. Brady embraced all that, and her Uncle Tommy has not been shy about lavishing her with praise - most especially on social media - where he has called her "the most dominant athlete in the Brady family.
The weight of expectation comes with being in her family. Her aunt Julie played collegiate soccer and is married to former Red Sox infielder Kevin Youkilis. In addition to Tom Brady, her mom and aunt Nancy both played collegiate softball. Getting to UCLA, of course, was not as simple as saying, "I want to play at UCLA." Brady was born into an athletic family, as her last name suggests. She not only gave me the confidence that someone like me could play at UCLA, but I could go and play college softball in general." Bates was such a huge idol for me, because I simply felt like I could relate to her.
#MAYA BRADY ADOPTED SERIES#
"Having so much admiration for them after the World Series win, and then going there and being in that atmosphere around the team and coaches really made me a die-hard UCLA fan," Brady said. Now, here she is, 12 years later, leading the Bruins back to the Women's College World Series as UCLA takes on Texas Thursday (Noon ET, ESPN/ESPN App). The visit left Brady more certain than ever that UCLA was where she wanted to be. You turned that high chopper into a short hop,' and she got the biggest smile on her face." Just pure athleticism.' I told her when she came up afterwards to visit, 'I remember you. "She came in and she charged it, turned it into a short hop and threw it on the run to first and I went, 'Oh, look at that girl. "She was a really skinny little thing, and they were taking ground balls and there was a high chopper," Inouye-Perez said. Inouye-Perez remembers a play Brady made during a summer camp that she still talks about today. at the time and UCLA was right next to his house, so we wanted him to go with us to make it even more special for me."īrady had already made an impression on the UCLA coaches without even knowing it. "My uncle Tommy was with me because he had moved to L.A. "I was that shy little 9-year-old kid that the coaches would ask questions to, and I would just smile and look at my mom because I couldn't even speak. "I remember being so nervous because it was my first UCLA game that I had ever gone to," Brady says now. Her mom, Maureen, sister and uncle (yes that Tom Brady) came on the visit with her, and she finally had the chance to meet her role model. She attended a summer softball camp at UCLA, and then her travel ball coach, Mike Stith, arranged to take young Brady to a game and a meet-and-greet with the team.
Bates, a player who looked like her, inspiring her to believe it was possible that she, too, could play at UCLA one day. Already a talented softball player in her own right, Brady zeroed in one player in particular: freshman outfielder B.B. Maya Brady fell in love with UCLA softball after watching the Bruins win the Women's College World Series in 2010. Maya's "Uncle Tommy" Brady is in the photo too, off to the left. Inouye-Perez is off to one side of the photo. The entire team, dressed in uniform, smiles all around her. In the photo, 9-year-old Maya Brady stands front and center in UCLA gear, smiling big. There is a photo that UCLA coach Kelly Inouye-Perez still has, one that remains highly sentimental, because it helps explain how the Bruins landed one of their future superstars.Ī superstar who happens to have a famous superstar uncle or two. Now with the Bruins headed to the Women's College World Series, take a look at how star Maya Brady ended up in Westwood.ĬLEARWATER, Fla. More than Tom Brady's niece: Meet UCLA softball standout Maya BradyĮditor's note: This story originally ran in February, as UCLA's season was getting started.
#MAYA BRADY ADOPTED UPGRADE#
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