Correction: A previous version of this story was is categorized as news instead of sports. It has now been corrected.
With her two years as Long Beach City College’s softball team captain coming to an end, Alia Marquez will be leaving LBCC not just with her degree, but her title as a 2023 Cal JC first team All-American and a future.
During her two year tenure as captain, Marquez would lead by example, and she would do that by not only showing her toughness and by doing the extra work in practice, but also on the field where she would hit .457 with 17 R.B.I’s and 15 stolen bases.
Marquez also spends her free time coaching two softball teams, one being her younger sister’s team.
“I want to be here to see my sister succeed,” Marquez said.
Marquez started coaching her sister Elayna in 2021. She has spent the last two season’s preparing her sister to succeed at the high school level.
Watching her sister develop into a great player is a big reason why she has continued her coaching career.
Her coaching also helps her play on the field. She can see the game from a coach’s perspective rather than just a player.
This gives her a competitive advantage allowing her to analyze the game in multiple different ways. Her coaching makes her a much better captain for LBCC as well.
All of her work would not go unrecognized as Marquez was named a first team All-American.
This award recognizes the best players from the state, and in order to be chosen the player must be nominated and voted for to win the accolade.
“For me it’s just a title. I wouldn’t say that it defines me as a player. It definitely feels good knowing that I’ve given everything I’ve had and this was a huge accomplishment for me,” Marquez said.
Marquez first started playing softball at the age of five but she took a break and resumed playing at the age of 13.
Despite being right-handed she felt that she would be more effective as a slapper, so she self taught herself and converted into a lefty.
Marquez played her high school ball at Fullerton Union High School and would go on to play her first collegiate season at Orange Coast College.
After her first season she felt that OCC wasn’t a good fit for her and she wanted to find a place that felt like home.
Marquez only met Coach Megan Martinez once prior to her transferring, she reached out about wanting to join the LBCC softball family.
After going through the necessary transfer protocol Marquez would join LBCC and spend her two years holding down centerfield for the Vikings.
“She is the first to arrive and the last to leave. She served as a role model for the program and was our leader academically and on the field,” coach Martinez said.
With this being her final season at LBCC she leaves behind many memories, with her favorite being a collision that occurred last season against Pasadena.
Marquez talked about an injury she sustained her freshman year in a collision with another outfielder.
In this collision Marquez blacked out and suffered many injuries including two black eyes and a broken nose which resulted in an endless stream of blood that got on her jersey, pants, and even the field.
The medical professionals recommended that she should sit out at least a month. Despite this, Marquez came back to the field a few days later and played both games of a double header.
She also made All-SCC first team and All-state south in her sophomore season.
Although her time at LBCC may be over, her softball journey will continue as Marquez will continue to coach her sister and will play the rest of her collegiate career at Whittier College.