Women have always struggled for representation in sports. Growing up in Decatur, Illinois, Bradley head softball coach Amy Hayes was at the forefront of that fight.
During her time in middle school, Hayes and her grade petitioned the school for a girls basketball team. Then, at Maroa-Forsyth High School, they successfully did the same for a softball team, which allowed her to compete sophomore year.
“We really pushed women’s sports from basically sixth grade on,” Hayes said. “Every couple of years we had to battle and get by a school board to allow us to do things.”
Fortunately, she got experience in the game without school-sponsored sports. Thanks to a strong fast-pitch community in Central Illinois, Hayes was able to garner attention from college coaches.
During her senior season in 1988, she was recruited by a few different schools, including Indiana State and Notre Dame. However, after taking a visit to the University of Evansville with longtime friend Stephanie Spurlock, her decision was easy.
“We both just really enjoyed [our visit],” Hayes said. “We thought it would be a great experience, going in knowing that you know someone at school and knowing how they play. We thought we could really make a difference.”
At Evansville, Hayes ran into the struggles of women’s sports being underfunded once again. During her freshman year, the coach that recruited her left and was replaced with a former basketball graduate assistant for her first season.
However, structure came to the program her sophomore year when coach Gwen Lewis was hired.
“She was tremendous … she fought for us,” Hayes said. “By the time we were seniors we had much better opportunities and success. We were playing a lot better.”
On the field, Hayes was a utility player who was named to the Horizon League’s all-conference team in 1992, her senior year, along with Spurlock.
Academically, Hayes majored in sociology with a specialization in anthropology.
“I had no idea what I wanted to do when I got out of high school,“ Hayes said. “Softball was giving me a means of education … I knew it would allow me a bit of flexibility to get outside the U.S. and travel.”
Her desire to travel led her to study abroad at Harlaxton College in England. She took advantage of being in Europe by taking weekend trips with her friends, but still found time to focus on softball.
“I was still trying to train because I went in the fall,” Hayes said. “I tried to find somebody to catch me when [I was] pitching. It was interesting, but we were still able to do some of that while we were there.”
Hayes ended up having to take a fifth year as an undergraduate, allowing her to get coaching experience with the Aces. At first, she had a hard time separating herself from her former teammates.
“I learned a lot because you sit on both sides,” Hayes said. “I had a pretty good rapport with my teammates … but it was difficult at times. Two of my best friends during my fifth year were seniors … I couldn’t hang out with them and do the things we had done just a year before.”
After graduating, Hayes spent time playing professionally in Christchurch, New Zealand. After 10 years of playing and spending time in the nonprofit world, she returned to softball as an assistant coach at Bradley in 1997.
Hayes only spent a year with the Braves during her first stint in Peoria. She went on to coach for Virginia Tech, Boston University, the Spanish national team, Oregon and Portland State before returning to the Hilltop in 2008.
Now entering her 13th year, Hayes hopes to continue the success she’s brought to the program while advocating for women’s sports.
“Everybody’s days as a player [are] very different than what these kids experience now,” Hayes said. “I hope we continue to grow our sports. I have definitely seen the benefit of what will happen when you put money into the women’s side of things. Good things come out of it.”
