Softball: Former Keystone state champ Laura Nichols wants everyone to have opportunity to play sport she loves

Laura Nichols understands the plight of being a single parent of a sports-starved child. "When my daughter was born I struggled with money and I knew how hard it was for the extras in life," Nichols said. "The activities for the kids … I know firsthand how expensive it is." Nichols, who went by Laura Beckham in high school and was a member of Keystone's first state championship softball team in 1999, found her financial footing and was able to provide daughter Braylee the softball upbringing she enjoyed. But knowing that there were plenty of other young girls out there who wanted to play the sport but whose families were unable to afford the equipment, lessons and league fees did not sit well with Nichols. "That was one of the reasons that when I got the stimulus money I tried to figure out something I could do for others that could help them in the long run," she said. "So that was another reason why I formed For the Love of Softball." Nichols, with the help of her husband Josh — they married in 2017 — her parents Bob and Jane Beckham and her brother Rob Beckham, founded the non-profit organization that is in its third year and strives to provide funding for players in Lorain County who need financial help to realize their dreams of playing softball. The group's biggest fundraising event of the year is just around the corner. The third annual For the Love of Softball Hit-a-Thon will take place Aug. 26 at the Lake Erie Crushers' stadium in Avon. "We had like eight or nine girls the first year and it was up to around 50 last summer," said Jane Beckham, the organization's secretary and treasurer. "But we had a blast last summer and we'd like to get more age groups involved. We've had girls hitting off tees, we've had different stations where girls would throw or hit and another that was for speed. "We also had baskets that we raffled off, a 50/50 (drawing) and this year we're trying to add a cornhole tournament for adults." Nichols said the concept isn't too complicated — the girls sign up sponsors who give the players a flat donation or pledge an amount per foot. The girls then get a series of pitches and their farthest hit is measured. The participants get to keep 75 percent of what they raise to help pay for their own softball training, equipment and fees, and the other 25 percent goes to the organization to provide funding to those in need. "To write those checks out is what we did this for, so it's very rewarding to be able to do that for those girls," Nichols said. "It's extremely exciting and it's awesome to see all the support that I've had from friends and family and all the people around me that have helped … especially for the Hit-a-Thon. Pretty much, my friends and family run it for the day." Nichols said she's been going to Hot Stove games and posting on the Northeast Ohio softball tournament websites to drum up interest in this year's event. She said the support has been growing at the same level as the participation. "Last time I checked we had 25 people signed up and that usually grows pretty quickly in July," she said. "So we're expecting probably 100 girls." Interested players can sign up at the non-profit's website, where there are also links to donate money, equipment or time to the organization. The group has also garnered sponsorships from several area businesses, for the event itself and for the tables and stations. With Nichols still holding down the roles of mom and wife, helping coach a Warhawks travel team with her dad and running the non-profit, she said those around her have provided the energy to keep going. "It's busy and hectic, but I've also met a lot of cool people and I've had a lot of people say thank you for doing this," she said. "I've had people from New York message me and say, 'Oh, I wish we had something like this.' So it's kind of cool to get those messages." Contact Shaun Bennett at (440) 329-7137 or sbennett@chroniclet.com. Like him on Facebook and follow him @ShaunBennettct on Twitter.