TUCSON, Arizona — "I was pretty shocked to learn she was going to share it with the world at this point," said Vicki Johnson, Pima Softball's pitching coach.
By "it," Johnson means Wendy Castro's story.
"It starts out really small," said Castro. "You might not even notice it but it creeps up and gets you bad."
A powerful left hand hitter and pitcher for state champion Canyon del Oro High School, Wendy joined the University of Wisconsin softball team.
"The coaches at Wisconsin made me feel like I was part of the team before I verbally committed there," said Castro.
However, she suffered a concussion during a freak accident at Wisconsin's Camp Randall football stadium when a door hit her in the head, making her unable to practice.
"Because I was type A personality, I was achieving and striving for the best. Once I wasn't getting that, it felt like I was failing."
Castro's feeling of failure led to an eating disorder known as anorexia nervosa.
"I didn't think I deserved to eat because I hadn't worked out, or hadn't been with my team, or I wasn't accomplishing this or that."
Castro welcomed her initial weight loss, but then the disease took its toll.
"I was completely blindsided by the reality of the situation," said Castro.
She would end up in the hospital needing a tubing feed. Unable to play and, with a focus on her recovery, Wendy left Wisconsin and decided to return to Tucson. But, her struggles were far from over.
"It was an endless cycle of relapsing. So, I'd go to treatment for a couple of months. And, I would relapse. More treatment and then relapse."
Her low point came as she says she lost one hundred pounds. Castro started commercial modeling to be able to excuse her weight loss. However, her real passion is softball. So, Castro began stopping by the Pima College softball team, where her sister, Alejandro, plays.
"They said, 'Wendy, you light up when you come here Why don't you play.'"
Pima is also where her youth coach, Vicki Johnson, is now an assistant coach. And, Wendy joined the Aztecs, where her Power Five Conference talent is on display, along with her recovery.
"She's made huge strides," said Johnson.
"I'm doing a lot better than was before but I still get thoughts and have those triggers that are more manageable," said Castro.
Now, Castro is sharing her message to help others who may be facing a similar situation.
"The first step comes with you. Reach out. There are a lot of resources. There are a lot of people that want to help even more than you think they do."
