Biography
By Jim Hague
The Rutgers-Newark softball roster lists sophomore outfielder Jessica Zelaya as standing 5-foot-2. Zelaya isn’t exactly the biggest kid in the world and even goes by the nickname of “Lil’ Bit.”
But don’t let the lack of height fool you one bit. “Lil’ Bit” is every bit of heart, determination and desire.
Last summer, in an effort to also make the Rutgers-Newark women’s soccer roster, Zelaya suffered a serious knee injury, a torn anterior cruciate ligament that would require reconstructive surgery.
Zelaya didn’t know what to think.
“My first reaction was that I was just trying to get in shape to play sports and possibly play soccer,” Zelaya said. “And then I get hurt and couldn’t play anything. I never thought it could happen to me. I never thought I could get hurt.”
“My first reaction was always the time line,” said Rutgers-Newark head softball coach Patty Clarke. “I wondered whether we would be able to have her back in time for softball. Knowing that she had the surgery in September, I knew the routine and what it was going to take to get her back. It wasn’t actually despair, but concern about the time line.”
After all, Clarke isn’t blessed with the deepest roster in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. She needs every player she can get. And Zelaya was a key performer for the Scarlet Raiders a year ago as a freshman, starting in 38 games, earning NJAC Rookie of the Week once. She batted .250 with two homers and eight RBI, was third on the team in runs scored and led the team in stolen bases. Zelaya was named the Rutgers-Newark Female Rookie of the Year for all athletic programs.
“She’s a cornerstone player for us,” Clarke said. “She’s extremely important to our success.”
However, with a torn knee ligament, Zelaya was worried whether she would be the same player again.
“I really didn’t know what was going to happen,” Zelaya said.
“I think the first thing that she had to handle was the fear factor,” Clarke said. “She has a lot of pride in her speed. It’s tough to get her out when she’s running. Her first thought was that she was broken and didn’t know if she could be repaired.”
But Zelaya was determined to make it back to full strength.
“My immediate plan was to come back like it never happened,” Zelaya said. “But it was tough. At first, just lifting my leg took all of my muscles. Walking was tough. Bending my knee was tough. Stretching and trying to get my mobility back was the worst part. It was an emotional thing as well. I needed my legs to do what I do.”
Zelaya spent five days a week, three hours a day, rehabilitating the knee with the R-N training staff.
Clarke was encouraged by Zelaya’s approach.
“Her work ethic is unparalleled,” Clarke said. “She has determination rarely seen. Once she was told that if she put the work in, she could come back, she was in the weight room and training room every night. She probably spent more time with our trainers than she did with her parents. She kept reminding me that she was coming back. She knew what her time line was and reminded me every day.”
“I think the first sign I was getting better was that I was able to lift my leg off the training table,” Zelaya said. “For the first month, I couldn’t do it.”
As the 2009 season approaches, Zelaya has made a full recovery.
“She’s just unstoppable,” Clarke said. “She’s back and running harder than before. The fear factor is long gone.”
“When I hurt my knee, the doctors said that the recovery time took six months,” Zelaya said. “It’s why I went to rehab so much. Well, as it turned out, I made it back in five. It feels awesome. It felt great the first day back. I was so excited. The little things that you just take for granted, like climbing stairs. I don’t take the elevator now. I take the stairs.”
Clarke said that the Kearny native is the consummate team performer.
“She’s so important to us as an athlete, a person and a teammate,” Clarke said. “She’s willing to do anything we ask of her and she’s willing to take charge. I can call her and if there’s someone who needs something, she’s right there. She’s the one athlete that I make sure our recruits get to meet. I bring the recruits to her on purpose, because she’s the perfect student/athlete, in terms of work ethic and study habits.”
“It makes me feel good that she thinks so highly of me,” Zelaya said. “It makes me want to prove myself to everyone and everyone around me.”
Zelaya is anticipating having a solid sophomore season.
“I’ve been looking forward to it a lot,” Zelaya said. “We’re all upbeat and ready to go. It’s going to be a good experience for us. I think we’re going to come out quick and do well.”
“She’s been a blessing and a pleasure to coach,” Clarke said. “I do expect her to have a good year this year and I think she will, because she has a lot more support.”
Zelaya is a nursing student at Rutgers-Newark and will pursue a career in nursing when her college days are done.
“I want to work in a hospital,” Zelaya said. “In high school, I worked as a medical assistant for a doctor’s office in Kearny and I’ve already done some job shadowing with a nurse at Clara Maass Hospital (in Belleville).”
Clarke said that Zelaya is such a credit to her program in ever aspect.
“She’s the kind of kid that I want to be able to know for the rest of my career,” Clarke said. “I want to know what she’s doing, so I’ll follow her after she’s gone. I’ve never seen that kind of work ethic and determination.”
It’s safe to say that “Lil’ Bit” gives every little bit of herself to Rutgers-Newark softball.
“I guess I do a little bit of everything,” she laughed.
And that was a good sign, because the smile has returned to Jessica Zelaya’s face, after enduring a little bit of a tough stretch.
