There was a time when at-bats felt heavy for Lauren Steenstra.

Full Interview

Results dictated everything. Hits meant value. Outs meant doubt. During the early part of her junior season, when the ball did not fall and the numbers did not follow, that weight grew.

Now, as a senior at Dordt University, Steenstra walks to the plate with something entirely different.

Freedom.

At the center of that transformation is not just a shift in mindset, but a deeper understanding of faith, identity, and purpose.

Steenstra's journey began at Calvin Christian High School, just outside Grand Rapids, Michigan, where her connection to Dordt formed through relationships with coaches tied to Defender head coach Jeff Zomer.

From the moment she stepped on campus, she felt something different.

"It was just how welcoming everyone was," she said. "Everybody wanted to know you."

That sense of belonging laid a foundation, but it did not struggles at times during her career.

Steenstra's identity slowly became tied to performance. When she struggled early in her career, including an 0 for 20 stretch as a sophomore and another difficult start to her junior year, her confidence followed.

"When I didn't play well, I felt like I wasn't valuable," she said.

That realization forced a deeper question, one that went beyond softball.

Where does your value actually come from?

The answer did not come from a stat sheet. It came through conversations, community, and a Christ centered environment that consistently pointed her back to something bigger than the game.

At Dordt, faith is woven into athletics, says Steenstra,  and that became a turning point. She began to understand that her identity was not defined by batting averages or RBIs, but by who she is in Christ. That truth did not remove the frustration of failure, but it changed how she responded to it.

"There are so many other things that I have going on," she said. "I can't let everything I am be wrapped up in if I can hit a yellow ball over the fence or not."

Before this season began, Zomer offered a message that brought that perspective into focus.

You are a senior. You have nothing to lose.

"That is one of the most helpful things I've heard all year," says Steenstra

The message aligned with what she had been learning. When your identity is secure, fear loses its grip.

Instead of playing to prove something, she began playing with freedom.

"I don't feel like I go up to the plate terrified anymore," she said. "Now it's like this is going to be fun."

Steenstra embraced her role in Dordt's lineup as a run producer, focusing on consistency and contribution rather than perfection. During one late season stretch, she drove in 16 runs over four games, thriving in the middle of a dangerous batting order.

Her best moments came when she was surrounded by the people who mattered most, family, her fiancé, teammates, and when the game felt like what it was meant to be, a gift.

"That's when I'm in the zone," she said. "When I'm having fun."

Now one of the team's upperclassmen, Steenstra has taken on a new role, helping younger players navigate the same challenges she once faced. She understands how easy it is to tie self-worth to performance and is intentional about helping others avoid that trap.

"I see these other girls having so much joy," she said. "Even if they're not playing every game."

Her growth extends beyond the field. An education major, she completed student teaching in Sioux Center classrooms and is preparing for life after graduation, a summer wedding, a move to Edgerton, Minnesota, and the beginning of her teaching career.

Through it all, the lesson that has defined her senior season remains clear.

Softball is something she does. It is not who she is.

"Softball is just a game," she said.

There are still innings left in her Dordt career and more chances to compete and contribute. Regardless of what the stat line says, Steenstra has already found what she was looking for.

Confidence not rooted in performance. Joy not dependent on results. A faith that reminds her, win or lose, who she is.