By Charles Prince

The North Jefferson News



Mortimer Jordan’s Michelle Cheatwood could teach many athletes a thing or two about playing with pain. Cheatwood needed an operation before the 2008 softball season began, but because she didn’t want to miss her senior year in the pitching circle, she postponed having the surgery until after the season.

During the year, she pitched in constant pain, but never complained. Her reward for the grit and self sacrifice she showed was a state 5A title to cap a stellar career as a Lady Blue Devil.

Cheatwood’s shoulder problems began in her freshman year, and they grew progressively worse. An examination revealed an impingement problem, or in other words, pressure was being placed on the rotator cuff from part of Cheatwood’s shoulder blade as she lifted her arm to throw.

Cheatwood’s pain was at its height after her junior season, but instead of choosing to have surgery, she decided to try rehab. However, the pain was so bad, she didn’t get to pitch much during the summer travel ball season.

“It was my senior year coming up and I didn’t want to have surgery and miss out on my final volleyball season,” she said. “But, it’s not anything special. I’ll guarantee you that seven out of 10 athletes have some injury or pain they have to work through.”

Despite her pain, Cheatwood won 24 games during her senior year and helped the Lady Blue Devils to their second state title in school history. The 24 victories gave her a career total of 76 wins against only 32 losses, a .703 winning percentage over the course of four years.

“The state title was great,” she said. “It was a reward for all the hard work we put in for four years.”

On June 10, Cheatwood finally had the surgical procedure she had needed for years. Doctors shaved down her shoulder bone and removed a floating piece of bone that had never fused into the shoulder like it should.

After the season, she was named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 5A All-State team for a second straight year. She had also been named to the squad after her junior season when she went 27-11.

Cheatwood, never one to draw attention to herself, said she’ll remember her teammates more than the games.

“We were always laughing and cutting up,” she said. “They were more than teammates to me, they were like sisters.”

A bad game from her freshman season also sticks with her. Ironically, the loss may have given her the mental strength to deal with her painful shoulder for three-plus years.

It was a crushing defeat by a traditional state power from Tennessee—Soddy Daisy. The girls from north of the state line beat Jordan and Cheatwood by the 10-run rule.

After the game, Jordan head coach Laura Rickman tried to console Cheatwood with the assurance that the loss was all right. After all, it came at the hands of one of the best teams in Tennessee.

However, Cheatwood didn’t see things that way.

“I told her that it wasn’t okay with me,” Cheatwood explained. “That’s not what I wanted to be as a pitcher. Someone who losses games like that.

“I think everyone has a breaking point in life. That was mine. It taught me I really had to step up my game. I knew I could lay down and die, or I could get better and compete against really good teams.”

She also began developing her trademark cool in the circle, which comes from a mental toughness that never allows her to quit.

“I don’t let a bad inning get to me,” she said. “I stay focused on one batter at a time. If you give up a run, that’s nothing, you know your team will come back an get the run back. I have to keep a fighting attitude when I’m pitching. I have to just go after the next batter, no matter what.”

By the end of her breaking-point season, Cheatwood posted a 14-9 record and fired her first varsity no-hitter. More importantly, she had worked her way into becoming a top flight pitcher, as she helped the Lady Devils finish eight at the 5A state tournament.

Then as a sophomore in 2006, she won 20 games for the first time, finishing at 21-10, while helping the Lady Devils to a runner-up finish in 5A.

In 2007, she set a career-high in wins, and helped Jordan back to Montgomery, however, this time they finished third, setting the stage for this season’s incredible 50-4 record and state title.

The next time she takes to the pitching circle, Cheatwood will be wearing a Bevill State uniform and according to her doctors, she shouldn’t experience any of the pain at the college level that plagued her in high school.

Cheatwood had a chance to play for a few bigger schools, but her sense of family and enjoyment of the small town atmosphere led her to sign with the Sumiton-based community college.

“I’ve gotten closer to coach (Rickey) Howell over the last couple of years and I really like him. He’s a christian man and I like what he stands for,” she said. “I like the close to home feeling of Bevill and some of my friends will be there.”

Cheatwood likely won’t throw during the fall schedule for Bevill, but come 2009, she thinks she’ll be 100 percent ready to get back in the circle.

“The doctors tell me I’ll be fine to pitch and come next spring, I’ll be ready to go as good as ever. Maybe better than ever,” she said.