Bio
Inducted 2016
softball (class of 2000)
It was simple advice Natalie Wyatt's father gave her about attending Chaffey College.
"My Dad would always say, 'You never know until you try; keep reaching for your goals, this is the perfect place to see what you can do,'" Wyatt said. So she did, all she could.
Wyatt would focus her academics in theater, political science, and on the softball diamond. As a result, she spent all her waking hours during the week on campus.
"I found more self-confidence in my fields of study here," Wyatt said. "I knew that my decision to double major was perfect, I already knew I loved those areas, was passionate about them, but at Chaffey I got to hone in and really practice each craft. Rehearse, create, there was always something to do, always ways to improve. We are always practicing, or rehearsing, we are never experts."
While the quantity of her activities are evident, it is the quality of the work she produced either in the classroom or in front of a crowd for which she is remembered. Sometimes, the two would almost overlap.
"I play better with fans," Wyatt said. "My adrenaline is always up and I am positive I have elevated the anxiety of many a coach and director, but Chaffey allowed me to do what I love doing; to add extra courses, to arrive early, to stay late, to get better. So many talented, dedicated, and understanding people everywhere I went. My coaches knew I had theatre, my directors knew I had softball; for what seemed like an impossible schedule, we made it work."
Today, she is married to her husband Thomas and is a licensed marriage and family therapist, and she knows Chaffey had a lot to do with her shaping.
"It's an amazing opportunity to learn and grow," Wyatt said. "Every day there is a chance to be better."