Biography
By Jim Hague
Rider University’s loss has turned out to be Rutgers-Newark’s gain, when it comes to the multi-talented Amber Affholter.
Affholter, a native of Trenton, Michigan, which is a suburb of Detroit, arrived in New Jersey and went to Rider in Lawrenceville for two years in 2006 and 2007. But Affholter, a biology major at Rider, wanted to get into nursing after her college days were done and Rider didn’t offer a nursing program.
So Affholter looked for another school that offered a nursing program. Rutgers-Newark fit the bill. But at first, Affholter didn’t know if she wanted to resume her softball career, after playing softball at Rider for two seasons.
“The nursing program was why I transferred,” Affholter said. “I didn’t know if I wanted to play when I got to Rutgers. I decided that I wasn’t ready to give it up just yet. I asked Coach (Patty) Clarke if I could try out.”
Needless to say, Clarke was pleased to have someone of Affholter’s services added to her program.
“She contacted me during the summer and said she was interested,” Clarke said. “We spoke for a while and I told her that she should give it a try.”
Affholter wondered whether she would be able to fit in.
“I was a little worried at first,” Affholter said. “I didn’t want people to think that I was better than they were. I just wanted to learn and I figured they could teach me as well.”
However, as it turned out, Affholter was one of the Scarlet Raiders’ top performers last year, both on the mound and in the outfield. She pitched in 26 games and threw 111 innings. She also batted .240 with eight RBI.
“She’s been great for us,” Clarke said. “I knew she had some pitching experience, so she got some time there. She also played some shortstop in high school and at Rider, but we played her in the outfield here.”
Now, as the 2010 season prepares to begin this weekend with the Scarlet Raiders’ annual journey to Florida, Affholter finds herself in another position _ as the Scarlet Raiders’ starting catcher.
“I’m excited about what she’s going to do behind the plate,” Clarke said. “Even though she’s had knee surgery in the past, she said she’s ready to give it the old college try.”
“I think it’s helped me going back to catcher,” Affholter said. “It’s the first season I’ve been able to catch since I hurt my knee (in 2006), but the knee feels real good and I’m ready.”
Affholter feels that she can offer a different perspective as a catcher, considering she’s been both a pitcher and a catcher in her career.
“The pitchers and I get along very well,” Affholter said. “I think I have a good feel because I know what it’s like as a pitcher. I’ve been there and having that experience helps.”
Clarke also feels that Affholter’s experience is crucial for a young team.
“She’s a leader, a vocal leader,” Clarke said. “She’s brought a lot of leadership to the team. She’s brought a different standard, as someone who has played Division I softball and has expectations that the rest of the players should have for themselves.”
Clarke also likes Affholter’s versatility.
“She can play different spots and that helps us, because we don’t have a lot of depth,” Clarke said. “She can play short, some outfield and pitch if needed. It’s essential to have that kind of versatility, because we started the season with 17 players, but now, we’re down to 12 already.
Added Clarke, “Whatever I need Amber to do, she’ll do it. And that’s a message we want to send to the rest of the players. Amber is an outstanding catcher and we’re counting on her leadership and her take-charge mentality. We have a young team with five freshmen, all of whom are going to be on the field. So we need Amber to be a leader and she’s doing that.”
Affholter doesn’t mind having that leadership role.
“I think I can lead in my own way,” Affholter said. “I know that the younger kids definitely look up to me, so I have to set an example.”
Affholter is a senior at Rutgers-Newark who will earn her degree in psychology in December. She is looking forward to becoming a part of the school’s accelerated nursing program, where she would finish her nursing schooling in 12 months.
Affholter hopes to study nursing anesthesiology during her participation in the nursing program.
As someone from Michigan, it had to have been a bit of a change coming to Newark.
“But it wasn’t that bad,” Affholter said. “I grew up in the Detroit area, so I think I have the street smarts.”
It’s also apparent that she has the book smarts as well.
“I guess I’m a pretty good student,” she said. “I definitely made the right move coming here. It was the best move for me.”
Clarke is also pleased that she arrived in Newark.
“I’m excited to see what Amber can do for us this year,” Clarke said. “I know the other players have a lot of respect for her. She’s a good player and she understands how much she can help us.”
