There are athletes who change games.
Then there are athletes who change everything.
Rachel Garcia broke it open. Rewired it. Reclaimed it. And then kept going.
From a kid chasing her cousins around a slow-pitch diamond to a national champion, Olympic medalist, pro star, and now a leader in one of the fastest-growing women’s sports leagues in the world—Garcia’s journey is one of grit, legacy, and relentless belief in something bigger.
And the scary part? She’s still climbing.
It Was Always Meant to Be
“I always grew up on the fields,” Rachel says. “Watching my cousins play. Watching my parents play slow pitch. It just felt like it was always meant to be.”
But even the chosen ones have moments that change everything.
For Rachel, that moment came around age 10, when the head coach of the powerhouse Corona Angels organization made the trip to her hometown of Lancaster, CA. He sat cross-legged on her living room floor, laid out brochures from colleges across the country, and told her to pick her top ten.
“He had papers from all these schools, and was like, ‘Alright, read this one out loud. Now this one,’” she remembers. “That’s when it really hit me. I could actually take softball to the next level.”
She became the next level.
Injury, Resilience, and the Year That Changed Everything
Right before her freshman year of college, Rachel suffered a major knee injury. For most athletes, that would’ve meant fear, maybe even doubt. For her, it became fuel.
“I wouldn’t change that one bit,” she says. “Sitting out my freshman year was the most eye-opening thing. I learned so much about myself. I craved getting back out there.”
Instead of breaking her momentum, the time off reshaped her purpose. “I never let my injury define me, but it helped me get stronger—physically, mentally. I used it as a learning experience. Every year after that, I had a goal. I wanted to get better. I wanted to win a national championship.”
Spoiler alert: She did.
UCLA. The Title. The Dogpile. The Legacy.
Rachel left an imprint at UCLA that may never be matched.
Her list of honors is absurd:
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Two-time USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year
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Honda Cup winner
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WCWS Most Outstanding Player
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Three-time First Team All-American
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NCAA national champion
But if you ask her what she remembers most? It’s a moment of adversity.
“In the 2019 national championship game, I gave up a home run to Shay Knighten. We had played together since we were kids,” Rachel recalls. “She ties the game. And I remember our whole infield came up to me. I just said, ‘It’s okay. We’ve got this.’”
Moments later: hit after hit after hit. UCLA walked it off. Cue the dogpile. Cue the legacy.
“That was the most emotional, electric moment of my career,” she says. “My first national championship. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”
Playing for Something Bigger Than Herself
From college dominance to Olympic silver in Tokyo, Rachel’s career is a living resume of excellence. But she’ll be the first to tell you—it’s not just about stats.
Softball, especially for women, has never been about easy pathways or guaranteed platforms. It’s been a fight. And she’s still swinging.
“College softball is the top of the top for our sport,” she says. “Pro softball is just now being recognized the way it should be. So for me, I keep playing to be part of something bigger. To grow the game. To inspire that next generation to keep pushing.”
She’s building a foundation. So that one day, a kid watching from the stands doesn’t have to ask, “Is there a future in this?”—because Rachel Garcia already built it.
Then Came the Pain and the Shoes That Changed Everything
Last season, Garcia unknowingly played through a stress fracture in her foot.
“I went through 10 different cleats trying to find something that didn’t hurt,” she says.
Then SQAIRZ entered the picture.
What started as a simple recommendation from a teammate quickly turned into a game-changer. “I got the shoes sent out and started with the turfs,” she says. “I wore them every single day. Coaching. Training. Lifting. Everything.”
And she hasn’t looked back.
“I don’t think I’ve put on another shoe since—unless I’m dressing up,” she laughs. “The comfort is just insane.”
As a flat-footed athlete who puts enormous pressure on her body with every pitch and swing, the change was immediate. “Comfort was number one. But also the balance. Everything in softball starts from the ground up. If your feet are hurting, something else is going to compensate.”
Now she wears SQAIRZ in training, in pro games, and even in USA camps.
“They look different—people always ask what they are,” she says. “I just tell them: ‘They’re SQAIRZ. And they’re the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn.’”
What’s Next: Eyes on 2028 and the Fight for More
With the Olympics returning to Los Angeles in 2028, Garcia has one eye on the future—and both feet grounded in purpose.
Right now, she’s in the national athlete pool, training with Team USA and scrimmaging her way toward another Olympic run. But she’s also coaching, mentoring, and showing up in cities across the country for AUSL games that are redefining the pro softball experience.
“We just played 12 games in a row across multiple cities,” she says. “It’s harder than a college season. But the fans—the energy—it’s all growing. We’re finally getting the recognition we’ve fought for.”
The path hasn’t been easy. But for Garcia, it’s never been about easy.
The Advice She Wishes She Heard Sooner
Asked what she’d tell a young girl just picking up a softball, Garcia doesn’t hesitate.
“Enjoy it,” she says. “Softball’s not an easy sport. You’re trying to hit a round ball with a round bat. But when you enjoy it—when you feel it—that’s how you get better.”
She also has a message for those who doubted her. “Growing up, I was told you can’t be a hitting pitcher,” she says. “So I take pride in doing both. I want to bring back the hitting pitcher.”
Spoiler: she already has.
More Than a Role Model
Rachel Garcia is not just an athlete. She’s a movement.
She’s the kid who turned injury into fire.
The college legend who built a dynasty.
The Olympian who never forgot what it meant to watch her sport be taken off the world stage.
The pro player still paving the way for the ones coming behind her.
The woman who’s showing girls everywhere what possible really looks like.
Because She’s Still Not Done
“This has always been a dream,” she says. “To play past college. To see fans show up. To know that our voices have power.”
And thanks to her, they do.