ALL AMERICAN. ALL STAR. ALL IN.
Hi, I’m Natasha.
During a motivational speaking tour of inner city high schools, Natasha Watley was stunned when, in the middle of her presentation, a teenaged girl raised her hand.
I’m sorry, ma’am, but what is softball?
Realizing that the sport she loved wasn’t exactly popular, especially among inner city girls, opened Natasha’s eyes. A two–time Pan American Gold Medalist, three-time World Champion, and four-time World Cup Champion, Natasha knew that introducing girls to softball could improve their self-esteem, confidence, and social skills. She vowed to find a way to open up the world of softball to inner city girls, hoping to foster a passion for both the game and teamwork.
Soon thereafter, Natasha founded the Natasha Watley Foundation (NWF), a community service nonprofit dedicated to introducing softball to the girls of the nation’s inner cities. NWF seeks to give every girl the opportunity to fall in love with softball, providing a path to not only a sport but also an improved quality of life.
More than simply teaching young women how to play the sport, her organization provides a positive alternative to the daily struggles faced by many girls in low-income households.
Natasha joined the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame after leading the Bruins to three straight Women’s College World Series and the NCAA Division 1 Softball Championship title in 2003. In 2004, Natasha played with America’s Olympic team, taking home a gold medal. In 2008, she competed again, winning a silver medal. She then continued her professional career by joining USSSA Pride and Team Toyota in Japan.
While softball played a tremendous role in Natasha’s life, she managed to balance the sport with education, graduating from UCLA, then going on to receive a Master’s Degree in Sports Business from Saint Leo University.
A true champion who has succeeded at every level she has played, Natasha now hopes to pass on her expertise in softball, team building, and leadership to the next generation of women through public speaking, coaching and her foundation.
CAREER ACCOLADES
2002 World Champion, Team USA
2002 ISF World Championships Gold Medalist
2003 Honda Broderick Cup winner
2003 Pan American Gold Medalist
2003 NCAA National Champion, UCLA
2004 Olympic Gold Medalist, Team USA
2005 World Cup Silver Medalist
2005 Pan Am Qualifier Gold Medalist
2005 Japan Cup Silver Medalist
2006 World Champion, Team USA
2006 ISF World Championship Gold Medalist
2006 World Cup Gold Medalist
2007 World Cup Champion
2007 Pan American Gold Medalist
2008 Olympic Silver Medalist, Team USA
2009 World Cup Champion
2009 Canada Cup Gold Medalist
2009 Japan Cup Gold Medalist
2010 World Champion, Team USA
2010 NPF Champion, USSSA Pride
2010 Japan Softball League Champion, Team Toyota
2011 Japan Softball League Champion, Team Toyota
2012 Japan Softball League Champion, Team Toyota
2013 NPF Champion, USSSA Pride
2014 NPF Champion, USSSA Pride
2014 UCLA Athletics Hall Of Fame Inductee
2014 Japan Softball League Champion, Team Toyota
2016 Japan Softball League Champion, Team Toyota
TESTIMONIALS + PRAISE
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“We were so honored to have Natasha as our guest speaker at our inaugural Iona Softball kickoff dinner in February 2016. She gave such an inspiring speech regarding hard work, commitment, teamwork and goal setting that truly resonated with our softball student-athletes. We were also fortunate to have Natasha as an instructor for our defensive clinic. She was very good with teaching skills to the clinic participants and her down to earth personality allows her to connect with all ages!”
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“Natasha Watley was great! She gave a moving and inspirational Keynote at our annual Park Summit for Los Angeles County. She talked about competing at the Olympic level and tied in some short action videos”.
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“Natasha Watley embodies the spirit of her core values. Her discipline and dedication have made her into the champion we all admire. However, it is her dignity and duty that ignites her passion to grow the game and provide opportunities for young girls to fulfill their dreams. Natasha is a dynamic keynote speaker and I am thankful my student-athletes had the chance to interact with her at our Diamond Club Event. She has an inspiring message, is a tremendous role model, and an influential force that any organization would benefit from booking”.