DeKALB — A private party room at Aurelio’s Pizza was filled with blue balloons and about 15 kids, as sophomore softball outfielder Jessica Rio’s recreational softball team, the Blue Jays, celebrated the end of their season. This was the moment Rio began to take softball seriously.
As 10-year-old Rio and her father were leaving the party room, Rio’s coach mentioned to them how much he believed in the young outfielder’s talent, and he could envision reading about her in newspapers one day.
It was the last time Rio saw her Blue Jays coach, but his words inspired Rio to explore a talent she hadn’t given much attention to before.