Macon Magazine

78 maconmagazine.com | April/May 2026 F I E L D to the From the How RBI softball is shaping the next generation of young women in Macon STORY BY EDNA RUIZ ADAMS | PHOTOS BY MATT ODOM physical therapy followed, testing her patience and determination. But quitting was never really an option. She was determined to get back on that field. Franchesca typically played third base, a position many consider one of the most demanding spots on the team. "I enjoy every second of it. I love when the ball comes flying at me. I love the adrenaline rush. I love the risk. I love the responsibility that comes with playing that position," she said. "I was also just as happy when other teammates got to play third base, too. That was my favorite spot, so if somebody else got the chance, I was excited for them." She was happy for her teammates — because to her, they were more than just teammates. "I feel like every softball team is different, but I feel like every single one is a family because you genuinely have to work as a team on the field to get RIGHT Maliyha Simmons takes the field. F U T U A s she stepped back onto the field for this photoshoot with Matt Odom, Franchesca Divert could hardly contain her smile. But it was not just because she was being asked to pose for the camera. She was a little reserved at first, since it was our first time meeting, but it did not take long for her excitement to break through. "I wish I brought my shoes and some extra clothes to play," she told me as she watched a group of girls on the field practicing softball at the Tom Fontaine Complex. Just a year ago, Divert was one of them, preparing for the summer season and spending countless afternoons and evenings on that same turf. Divert first stepped onto that field in eighth grade. Not long after, serious knee injuries forced her to sit out much of her freshman and sophomore years of high school. Multiple surgeries and months of

• Cover