Varsity softball player Kendra Mura’s visit to Chile two years ago, initially just a family trip to her father’s home country, unexpectedly led to a life-changing athletic opportunity. During her travels, Mura tried out for the Chilean National Softball Team.
“After we did some research, we found out that there actually was a Chilean national team for softball. That’s kind of how it all got started. In the beginning, I was really nervous and unsure about playing,” Mura said.
Despite her initial hesitation, Mura received a position on the team as a pitcher and shortstop. She then traveled to Peru for her first tournament with the team, giving her the opportunity to connect with new teammates. Most came from Chile, with the exception of a few being American, like herself.
“I’ve been in the dual immersion program since kindergarten, so I am fluent in Spanish. But the Chilean Spanish my teammates speak is really different from the Spanish that I was taught growing up in school, especially when they use slang. So it was kind of hard to understand at first,” Mura said.
Never having faced this challenge before, Mura’s inability to fully communicate with her teammates only pushed her to dive further into the culture her father raised her in.
“I’ve only ever experienced my [Chilean] culture through my dad and what he has told me, but it was really nice being able to actually experience what he’s told me and enforced throughout my life, like the importance of being Chilean and the small things that make the culture unique,” Mura said.
According to Mura, playing for the Chilean national team not only helped her in “improving her confidence,” but also allowed her to connect further with her culture by being surrounded by Chilean people like herself. The language, energy and celebrations all made her feel included in the culture and Chilean atmosphere. Her father, Francisco Mura, was especially appreciative of her commitment.
“I felt really proud of Kendra because she was able to connect my country with one of the sports she loves. Kendra worked really hard,” Francisco Mura said. “[Playing softball] was a really big part of her life since she was five years old, so connecting that sport to my country, I felt very sentimental. It was powerful.”
After that first tournament in the beginning of her junior year, Mura traveled to Colombia for another competition. She faced teams from various countries, including Canada, Venezuela and Guatemala, giving her more time and experience to further improve how she plays softball. While being exposed to more nationalities than ever before, Mura represented and celebrated her Chilean heritage by winning their games and making Chile’s softball team a team to watch and respect.
“Kendra has a lot of courage, and you don’t see [many] kids this age who are willing to go try out, meet new people or coaches and go into the unknown. She was super excited and willing to give it a try,” Francisco Mura said. “Kendra has no fear about anything.”
With great support from her father and mother, who offered her encouragement and comfort no matter where she needed to go to stay with the team, Mura also received support from the rest of her family living in Chile.
“It was so nice seeing my family in the stands, holding the Chilean flag. My grandma was crying watching me up to bat, and my dad was too. I’ve never seen him cry, but he was just so moved and touched that I could represent a part of him that is so special. He [left] Chile when he was 30, so it’s a huge part of him,” Kendra Mura said.
The connection to her culture furthered Mura’s success as a team player, and winning the Iquique Tournament in Chile is a recent reflection of her dedication.
“It was one of the best experiences ever,” Mura said. “Even though I was scared, after, I felt a part of me that I didn’t even know really existed come out, and I understood way more about who I am, what I want to do in the future and what I really enjoy doing.”
