Thousands of people are screaming. The voices in your head are even louder. You must make a

decision, but you don’t know what to do. You feel stranded.

But over all the noise you hear familiar voices breaking through the crowd. Voices coming from

the dugout and you know you’re okay.

“Sometimes you feel like you're on an island out there and when you hear them cheering it helps

you realize, ‘I'm not alone out here,’” University of South Carolina softball player Tori Ensley

said. “It just lets you know this is a full team effort. It's not just me that has to get it done… I

think South Carolina softball does that really good.”

At the University of South Carolina, there is never a quiet moment in the bottom of the inning.

Encouragement pours out constantly. Not only is it consistent. It is creative.

The cheers are unique with personalized chants that incorporate each player's nickname or

number. They echo through the net of the dugout as they step up to bat.

“We have a very tight bond, but it's very professional as well. It’s just, taking accountability…

that's kind of what makes us close, it's not really surface level friendships,” Ensley said. “I think

that's what makes us unique and allows us to just believe in one another and instill that belief

because it's true trust between each and every one of us.”

Another aspect that makes Carolina’s softball chants unique is that they are only positive. They

never direct anything negative toward the opposing team. They solely encourage each other.

That can’t be said about every other program. That type of respect comes from head coach

Ashley Chastain Woodard and the precedent she has set for her team.

“The reason you don’t really hear the chirps, or the more negative comments is just because we

like to keep it professional and strictly uplifting because that's just our goal here… it’s just not

our standard to chirp,” Ensley said.

The culture within the walls of the South Carolina Softball Stadium has a way of drawing you in,

making it hard to forget, and making you want to keep coming back.

That’s what it did for Ensley.

Ensley spent her first two seasons standing alongside her older sister Taylor at North Carolina

State, but as Taylor neared graduation, Tori knew that she needed something different.

“I reflected on my years there. Yes I had some great times but then I realized I hadn’t really

grown like I wanted to,” Ensley said. “I was kinda stuck in not a great mentality as a player and I

kinda wanted to give myself a chance to grow more, find an environment that fits me more, and

pushes me, and is competitive and that is what led me to take the leap… and I am super glad I

did it.”

Ensley decided to transfer and during her search, she attended the Super Regional game Carolina

hosted against UCLA. She was swept away by the feeling the stadium brought her, and at that

moment she knew she found home.

“I got to see within the program, the environment of the Carolina fans. It was absolutely insane,

I've never been in an environment like that,” Ensley said.

Ensley was seeking community and relationship. Relationships that would help her grow into the

player she knows she can be. Relationships that don’t just cheer you on when the moment is big,

but that build you up when you feel small.

The love of Carolina softball stretches beyond the field and beyond the dugout, straight into your

heart.

“The coaches in general, instilling belief that I am good enough, that's really helped me a lot with

my self-confidence. I found myself kind of being held back by my own mentality,” Ensley said.

“I know I have the physical capability, it was just all mental and having that belief from my

coaches and the players it just really helped me flourish.”